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“I thought she needed one normal afternoon.”

“That was not your decision.”

“I know.”

“No, you keep saying you know, but you are still defending it.”

“I am not defending the lying.”

“You are defending taking her.”

I fall silent. Because he’s right.

I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I scared him. I’m sorry I put Kirill in that position. But I’m not sorry Anya is sitting there with cake on her face and her friend beside her.

Nikolai sees the answer on my face. His expression changes slightly. “That’s the problem.”

“What?”

“You still think caring about her gives you the right to make choices for her.”

“I do care about her.”

“That doesn’t make you her mother.”

For a second, I cannot move. The party keeps going around us.

No one around has heard a word he said, he hasn’t moved a inch, but I feel the brunt of his words as if he has slapped me.

I look at him. “I know I’m not her mother.”

“Then stop acting like you can make decisions for her behind my back.”

“I wasn’t trying to replace you.”

“No,” he says. “You were trying to overrule me.”

My throat tightens. I want to argue. I cannot, because some part of it is true.

“I brought you into my house because Anya trusted you,” he continues. “I thought that would help her. I thought you understood what your role was.”

My role. Of course.

Someone he hired because his daughter liked me and because I needed money badly enough to say yes.

I look at him, and suddenly the whole room feels too bright. “Sorry, I overstepped.”

“Elara.”

“No, I understand.”

“You don’t.”

“I think I do.”

His eyes narrow. “Don’t twist my words because you’re upset.”

“I’m not twisting anything. You hired me because Anya liked me. You needed someone temporary. I needed the money. That’s what this is.”