by Serena Vale
“Alas, these are the new days, your honor,” Alexi said, though Regina thought she detected a note of sorrow in his voice.
Utkin nodded. “Very well.” He looked to Abram. “Mr. Fyodorov… do you object to what Mr. Romanov has proposed?”
Abram, who looked as if he had been in some fantasy of how to spend vast amounts of money shook his head. “No, your honor… what the defendant has proposed sounds quite agreeable… but if I might make one small addendum?”
“Yes?”
Abram gave a small look to Alexi and Regina saw a brief flicker of… forgiveness? But just as quickly as it had come it had gone and the plaintiff turned his attention back to the judge. “Your honor, I would move that my clients give the namesake of one of the community centers that they donated to my late daughter. Many of these projects were her ambitions, after all.”
Regina was not religious by nature, but she did believe that she had just witnessed a miracle. She held her quiet and waited to see if other miracles may yet follow.
The judge nodded. “Very well… I’m sure it would not be a terrible effort.” Utkin made a note on his pad and gave one final look to Alexi. “Are you prepared to hear your sentence, Mr. Romanov?”
Alexi nodded knowingly. “I am your honor.” With that, he sat back into his chair and Regina struggled to keep from reaching out to hold his hand. She wasn’t entirely sure what was happening here, but whatever it was, Alexi was comfortable with it.
The judge made a final note on his pad before speaking, his voice becoming official once more. “Alexi Romanov… in my judgement, you have abused your powers of business for selfish purposes. If we were in Russia, such an action as that would be grounds enough to revoke your business license. Yet the money you have diverted has gone to the benefit of those in our country who cannot help themselves. Admirable as that aim might have been, I cannot allow your methods for doing so to go unpunished.” Utkin sat up straight in his chair. “In light of this new information, the court sees fit to accept the financial reparations that your associate, Yuri Salnikov, will make on your behalf and I shall see to it that he is made the executor of your estate.” He paused and his voice became lightly stern. “For your crimes, you will be sentenced to political exile, and all of your family’s assets in Russia will be confiscated by the state, and you will remain here in the United States of America until such time as you are decreed a legal immigrant or the American jurisprudence finds you worthy of resident alien status.”
Regina’s heart skipped a beat at hearing this. It wasn’t a miracle, but it certainly was a better outcome than what she had managed to envision for an outcome at the end of this trial. It’s not perfect… but it’s not a bad outcome either.
“Court is adjourned,” Utkin said, banging his gavel. The sound carried like thunder across the empty room. Utkin stood, as did she, Alexi, and Abram as the judge gathered his notes and made an exit from the room.
Abram was next, picking up his briefcase – which he hadn’t even opened – and made for the exit. Before reaching it, he stopped, and turned to look at Alexi. Regina waited and watched, expecting there to be a final hateful glance or a threatening remark. But neither came. Abram Fyodorov silently turned and walked out of the room, saying nothing.
Alone with Alexi, Regina’s mind was still spinning with what had just occurred here. In the silence of the court, she looked to Alexi and felt the questions bubbling within her.
Alexi answered them before she could even ask. “This means that I will stay out of Siberian prison… but it also means that I can never return to Russia. Ever.”
She nodded. “And you’re ruined, financially.”
He turned a sly look at her. “Am I?”
Her face became inquisitive. “Aren’t you?”
He chuckled and much to her surprise – and pleasure – he reached out and put a hand on her hip, gently rubbing at it. “Through political exile, the Russian Federation will confiscate some of my accounts, Regina… but not all of them.”
She felt her eyebrows furrow. “Huh?”
“I’ve had accounts here in America for several years now. By now, the interest alone is… substantial. And the Russian government cannot touch those.”
She found that this puzzle was falling well into place. “So… you’re not broke?”
He smiled at her. “The five billion that I promised your firm can be paid twenty times over if I choose.”
She smiled. “When did you come up with this plan?”
He touched the underside of her chin. “This morning… while I watched you sleep. I knew there was no way I could ever return to Russia with honor… or without fear that one day my caviar might be poisoned. At least this way, I am as good as dead to them. My troubles are – for all intents and purposes – finished.”
She looked over her shoulder to where Abram had left. “And him?”
Alexi shook his head. “We have – in our own way – made our peace. Perhaps it was not done as he would have planned, but it was also done in a way that he would not shun, either.”
She gathered up her brief case and they walked towards the exit of the courtroom and again she had to fight the urge to put her arm through his affectionately. They weren’t clear of this place yet and until then, she had to retain some manner of professionalism.
“So, in the end, you didn’t really need me at all for this, did you?”
“Not so. Without you, I wouldn’t have had the thoughts that led me to your room last evening. I was prepared, for all intents and purposes to fight this as best as I could to its inevitable – and troubling – conclusion. But seeing you… I felt… different.”
She smiled. “You needed me.”
“I still do… with my alien status now in question, I will need representation to become a United States citizen.” He smirked. “I don’t suppose you could recommend a firm to aide me? Perhaps you know of one with experts in international law whom I could work with closely… for long periods of time?”
She smirked back. “It will be a long process, Alexi… and after today my record will be…”
“Untarnished. You did not win, but you did not lose either. And I will be happy to give your supervisor my highest praises for your efforts. And a case of this nature, settled in two days, will surely bring you much favor, yes?”
She wasn’t able to suppress it any longer. She took hold of his neck and brought his mouth down to her own. The kiss was simple but as passionate as it had been the night before. Again, he did not fight it and she desired to try again that which they had both admitted shortcomings. But there would be more time for that later.
When she broke the kiss she replied, “You know… I can think of someone who would love to work the case.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I’m your typical California girl that loves yoga, sunsets, scrapbooking and life in general! I have found my own happily ever after with my husband and 3 years old son. Writing romance is my ultimate escape to the land of fantasy where there are no rules and no boundaries. Everything is on the table, no matter how forbidden. I love people and I believe everyone needs love, romance and passion in their lives and I hope to deliver that through my writing to those I may never meet. I love creating new exciting characters that takes me on a journey I never expected and sharing them with you. So, go ahead grab one of my books and forget about reality for a moment and indulge in some passion.
Sincerely
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