Page 22 of Bought By the Ruthless Pakhan

She avoided me. No fights, no drama. Just this obedient silence that left me completely helpless.

Then I heard scratching at the bedroom door.

I opened it. Nadia stood there clutching her stuffed bunny, asking quietly if she could come in.

Her head hung low, the whole of her wilted like a flower left in the sun too long. All that usual energy—gone.

My chest tightened. I bent down and scooped her up, stroking her soft hair. "Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Nadia buried her face in my neck, her voice muffled. "Daddy, can you please stop being with Anna?"

I froze. "Why?"

She went quiet for several seconds. Then slowly, she reached out and pushed up her pajama sleeve.

Bruises covered her little arm. Purple and blue.

She looked up at me, eyes red as waterlogged cherries. "She hit me."

My head exploded with noise. Blood rushed straight to my skull.

Those marks on her delicate skin—they burned my eyes. Rage nearly tore through my chest.

"Sweetheart, tell me exactly what happened."

Nadia kept her head down, fingers twisting the bunny's ear. "Anna kept making me give up time with you, wouldn't let me near you. She said if I didn't listen, she'd punish me."

Nadia had never been a liar.

But Anna...

I couldn't picture her like that. She'd always been gentle, considerate. Not crude. She'd never hurt a child.

I took a deep breath, forcing the fury back down.

I lowered her sleeve and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Daddy's got something to handle. Get some sleep, okay?"

I needed to find Anna. At least get to the bottom of this.

Nadia made a small sound.

I carried her back to her room, tucked the covers around her.

She watched me like she had more to say, but in the end she just pulled the blanket over her head.

I left her room. Anna's guest room was at the end of the hall, warm light spilling from beneath the door. She was still awake.

I walked over. Knocked twice.

Anna's soft voice came from inside. "Come in."

I pushed the door open. She sat on the window seat with a book, looking up in surprise. "Ivan, what's wrong at this hour?"

I turned to close the door, keeping my voice level. "What did you do to Nadia today?"

Anna looked confused. "Nadia? We read stories this afternoon. Did some drawing. Why?"

When she said it, her expression was tender, a gentle curve to her lips.