~ Can't Buy My Love ~
by Katia N. Ruiz
passionatetyger@aol.com
Copyright 2004
Disclaimers: see part one.
Chapter Four
Kat sat in her car for a long time, trying to calm down. She took a deep breath, and wiped angry tears from her eyes. The last time she'd seen Oksana, they hadn't parted on good terms. Kat had looked different then, her hair longer than the shoulder length she sported now, and her glasses hadn't yet been replaced by contacts.
The last time she'd seen Oksana had been the night of the Oksana's fifteenth birthday. She shook off the thought and got out of the car, unwilling to think about that night. She'd be surprised if Oksana remembered what happened once she figured out who Kat was; she'd been very drunk.
Kat couldn't help but smile as she took in her surroundings, remembering happier times during her childhood. She hadn't been home in close to three years; the last time she'd returned she'd only been there briefly, missing the Ivanovs, since they'd been away on business.
"Ekaterina!" A man's voice brought her back to the present.
She spun towards the sound, a grin storming her face. "Papa!" She yelled, running into his spread arms.
"Oh my God, Ekaterina," the old man said softly into her hair, his voice full of emotion.
"Papa," Kat whispered into his shoulder, then stepped back and took a good look at him. She hadn't seen him in almost a year; she had stayed away because she'd been so busy at work. She had also stayed away because of guilt; she felt very bad about keeping the truth of her sexuality from them. She was tired of hiding, though, and she'd tell them the truth. Eventually.
Josef Gorky hit seventy years of age a month before. He didn't look it, though, and Kat was proud of this fact. He was a handsome man with a fully white head of hair; laugh lines decorated a sun-touched face and his clear eyes still held the gentle love that made her childhood special.
"Hi, daddy." She said softly, feeling tears of happiness burn her eyes as she jumped into his still strong arms once again.
"I'm mad at you," Josef said, squeezing his daughter tight until she laughingly complained.
Kat pulled back slightly. "I know, daddy, and I'm sorry I've stayed away for so long. I promise I won't do it again." She said, giving him puppy dog eyes.
His attempt at looking even slightly angry was foiled by the look she gave him. He'd always been a weakling for those green eyes, just as he'd always been to Yuliya's. He was ecstatic that his daughter was moving back home, and hadn't spoken about anything else since Yuliya had let the news slip.
"Where is mama?" Kat asked, anxious to see her mother.
Josef smiled softly. "She went to the supermarket for the weekly shopping; she's planning on cooking your favorite tonight." He said, shooing her towards the back door. "Now, go inside. I'm going to pick her up, but I wont tell her that you're here already. She'll be so happy when I bring her back."
"Okay, papa, but hurry. I can't wait to see her." Kat said, hugging her father again. After watching him get into the black Lincoln limousine, Kat allowed her eyes to roam the backyard. A large in ground pool sat two hundred feet away from the house, looking fresh and sparkling. She considered jumping into the pool, but her growling stomach put a stop to that for now. Food. She thought, slipping through the back door and into the kitchen.
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Oksana gazed at the top of her grandfather for a long time, sadly realizing that he was getting old. His once full head of blonde hair was almost all white, thinning at the top. His eyebrows were sparkled liberally with white also, and even his eyelashes were changing too. She felt guilty, aware that she'd put a lot of those white hairs there herself. But she knew that even though he was hitting his eighty-second year, he was still a strong man.
Oksana remembered admiring his thick wrists and huge hands as a child, and remembered wanting to be just like him. She asked herself what happened to change that; the answer lingered in the back of her mind, but she refused to think about it in depth. Deep things were not on her priority list of thoughts any longer.
Oskar was surprised to find that his granddaughter had been standing there watching him for a while. The wistful look in her eyes made him wonder what was going through her mind. She was studying him, and seemed unaware of his own scrutiny. She looks just like Owen. He thought sadly, taking in her strong jaw and full lips. He wondered if Oksana would have turned out so wild if Owen and his wife, Marissa, had survived. We'll never know, but its time to change the way things are going.
Nadya's arrival brought them back from their musings. Oksana hugged her briefly before ushering the old woman to her usual chair. She helped her get comfortable and then stood up, the uncaring façade firmly back in place. "I'm hungry, can I get something to eat before we start?" She asked.
Oskar sighed and nodded. "Go ahead." He said, meeting his wife's eyes as Oksana left his study. Nadya's sympathetic eyes begged for patience and he nodded, sighing once again.
Oksana's right eyebrow shot up as she walked into the kitchen, stopping in her tracks at what greeted her. The perfect backside confirmed that her imagination wasn't that off base. The backs of the legs were just as shapely as their front had hinted. But Oksana's eyes were once again attracted to the girl's ass. Oh yeah. She thought, not bothering to wonder who she was and assuming that she was a new maid. A leer formed on her lips as she stepped towards the woman, her hand reaching out and grasping a delightfully firm ass.
Kat reacted quickly, spinning around and catching Oksana across the face with the back of her hand. Furious, she pushed Oksana away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She yelled, tempted to swing at the other woman again.
A stunned Oksana rubbed her stinging cheek, her leer turning into a scowl. "Who do you think you are?" She growled, stepping forward.
Kat snorted indignantly. "I should be asking you that. How dare you put your hands on me?" She demanded, pushing Oksana back again.
Oksana quickly grabbed the woman's wrists, easily wrapping her hands around each, and pulled her close, holding her arms between them. "I could have you fired." She threatened in a low voice, her anger fading once she got a whiff of the other woman's scent. She inhaled deeply, her eyes half closing as they locked onto rosy lips. Damn, she smells good, and look at that mouth.
"That's too bad for you, because I don't work for your grandfather." Kat pulled back, tempted to knee Oksana between the legs; the look on Oksana's face was starting to make her nervous. That would cool her down. She knew how much that hurt, and even if Oksana deserved it, Kat was unwilling to inflict that kind of pain.
Bewildered, Oksana let the other woman go. "So who the hell are you?" She demanded.
Pissed at Oksana for being so stupid, Kat said through clenched teeth: "Get your mind out of the gutter, and you'll remember."
Oksana scowled once again, pissed. She forced her eyes to really look at the woman's face, and her eyes narrowed as the sense of familiarity nudged at her brain once again. Suddenly, the image of a thickly bespectacled and incredibly skinny seventeen year old flashed before her eyes. Her eyes once again roamed the sexy womanly body across the kitchen. "Ekaterina Gorky?" She said, not believing her eyes.
Ekaterina nodded, still seething. She disliked Oksana Ivanov more than anyone at that moment. "Next time, before you make assumptions, ask." She said, turning on her heels and stalking out the back door.
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"Ekaterina Gorky is here!" Oksana stormed into the study, still rubbing her face.
Oskar's head snapped up towards his granddaughter, and he instantly noticed the redness on the cheek she rubbed. He opened his mouth to speak but she rambled on.
"Her bottlers are gone! Oh my God, you should see her, papa!" Oksana said, eyes wide.
Oskar and Nadya had seen that look in her eyes plenty of times to know that Oksana had found someone new to focus her attention on. By the redness on the young woman's cheek, it was obvious to both grandparents that Oksana's attentions were not going to be appreciated. "Really?" Nadya spoke cautiously, trying to bring her granddaughter's mind back from where it had gone. "How is Ekaterina?"
Oksana had stopped at the window and was gazing out into the garden. She could see Ekaterina pacing furiously back and forth about twenty feet away. "Oh, she's just fine." She said in a low voice, a smirk on her face.
Oskar and Nadya's eyes met in a silent communication. "Oksana, sit down." Oskar ordered firmly. They had to draw her back before they lost her and she left, therefore taking control of the situation.
Oksana straightened at the tone of Oskar's voice, spinning around. "Yeah, okay." She said, taking one last look at Ekaterina, who was now glaring at her from outside.
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"No!" Oksana cried out, jumping up from her seat and scowling. "I will not have you dictate how I should live my life! My life!" She began pacing the study while her grandparents calmly watched.
"You want my money, you do as I want." Oskar said, much to his wife's dismay.
Nadya let her head fall and sighed. This could go downhill very fast. Oksana could be just as stubborn as Oskar.
Oksana straightened, her eyes wide with shock. "My- my birthright?" She stuttered.
"It is my money, and I decide what goes to whom." Oskar said slowly. "I have been considering giving half of my estate to charity and other things, and the other half to Gustav. Do you remember him?"
Nadya thought Oksana's eyes would pop out of her head at the best, or that she would have a stroke at the worst. Her face was so red, a vein popping out of her neck threateningly.
"I will not allow it!" Oksana roared furiously. "You will not give all your hard earned money to that gambling addict!"
"And I will leave it to you? You do not even want to work to keep the fortune going!" Oskar paused, taking a deep breath to center himself. "Which brings me back to the new will. The main provision includes that you stop sleeping around, get married-"
"Get married!" Oksana could feel herself swoon. I can't get married! She was panicking, and sat down hard on her chair.
Oskar watched his granddaughter, waiting for what she would say. He could see the terror in her eyes at the mention of marriage, and wondered very briefly if he'd made the right decision; but only briefly. He wanted to galvanize her into maturity, and he was willing to use any means necessary to get her out of the self-destructive path in which she was heading. Of course, if she refused, he'd be forced to keep his word and leave part of his money to his useless nephew; and he couldn't have that. Come on, Oksana. Do not disappoint me.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Oksana asked him, her voice low, her eyes anguished.
Oskar felt his heart soften at the lost look in her eyes. He remembered seeing that same anguished look on his son's face when his father had severely punished him for some transgression or another. Oksana's father had not been as bad as Oksana, but Oskar knew that Owen had also put some gray hairs on his head. Oskar had been ecstatic when Owen had met his wife and finally settled down.
"Papa, why?" Oksana implored.
Her voice brought him back into the matter at hand. He took a deep breath. "This is the deal." Oskar began, lifting a commanding hand to stop his granddaughter's interruption. He glanced as his wife, who gazed at Oksana with sympathetic eyes. Sighing, he shook his head; he wasn't getting any help from Nadya. "You will stop sleeping around with married and unmarried women. You will start looking around for a wife, and make sure you both like each other. I want great grandkids with your DNA within three years." Oskar paused, chancing a glance at his stunned wife.
Nadya couldn't believe her ears. Marriage is one thing, but kids too? She's going to refuse. She thought, looking at her wide-eyed granddaughter, who looked like she was in the path of a meteor.
My life as I know it is over. Oksana thought, imagining herself chasing after a brat who was just like her. Oh God, I'm going to die young! She stood up again, and began to pace. "What else do you want from me?" She said softly, her voice defeated.
Oskar managed to hold back his smile. At a girl! He thought. "You will begin to work with me at the office. I want you good and ready to take over the company when the time comes. I will not allow someone who is not an Ivanov to run what I have worked hard for."
"And what makes you think that I can run Ivanov?" Oksana countered, frowning.
"As much as you have been trying to undermine your university degree, I know you have the brains to run the operation." Oskar said smugly, lifting up a sheet of paper. Oksana, in order to shake any responsibility that her grandfather wanted to throw her way, had never given him her transcript from university. Oskar had finally sent an investigator to retrieve a copy for him, and was pleasantly surprised to find that his granddaughter had every capability to run Ivanov.
Oksana stared at Oskar, glancing briefly at Nadya before turning her gaze back on her grandfather. "I got a lot of help." She said quickly. During her college years, which had been full of partying and sex, Oksana had still put herself through all her classes. "I had a lot of girlfriends."
Oskar chuckled, shaking his head. "If Seventy million dollars don't matter to you, then okay." He said, leaning back on his chair and throwing his arms up. "I already have the new will written. It just needs to be signed by Nadya and I. Gustav gets half of it."
Oksana gazed at her grandmother. "You too, mama?" She whispered accusingly.
Nadya took a deep breath, her blue eyes meeting her granddaughter's eyes. "No more sleeping around, Oksana." The old woman said softly.
Oksana buried her face in her hands. My life is over. She thought long and hard, aware of her waiting grandparents. "Can I think about this?" She asked after a long moment, her eyes on her hands. In her mind, they felt tied; she already knew that she had little choice.
"Not too long." Nadya replied softly.
Oksana looked at her grandfather, whose face was devoid of any emotion. Inside, he celebrated finally having some dominance over his wild granddaughter.
Oksana's eyebrows drew together as she thought of Nadya's answer to her bid for time. They weren't breaking down. This was bizarre, since they- especially her grandmother- had always been lenient with her in the past.
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"So what's going on with Oksana?" Kat asked her mother, trying to sound casual. They'd finally made it into the kitchen after a long reunion out in the yard. Her parents had returned to find her angrily pacing the yard, but she'd been able to hide her anger. Her reunion with her mother had been sweet, and she'd briefly forgotten about Oksana.
"Why, honey?" Yuliya asked from the refrigerator, where she was stocking the meat into the freezer. She glanced up at her daughter with a curious look.
"She sure has changed." Kat commented, turning away from her mother and continuing to stock cans into the pantry.
"You've met her?" Yuliya asked with growing horror. If Oksana acted like her usual self, Yuliya knew she'd have to wrestle her husband to the ground before he grabbed the young woman and threw her over his knee.
"Yep." Kat said slowly, shaking her head at the less than pleasant memory.
"Oh my God, what did she do?" Yuliya gasped, walking towards her daughter.
Kat smirked, turning towards her mother. "Nothing that a quick slap to the face couldn't fix," She said smugly.
But Yuliya wasn't appeased. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here to warn you about her." She said, shaking her head. She didn't even want to think about what Oksana could have said or done to Ekaterina, but it was obvious that Ekaterina had taken care of it. She would let it go for now.
"So what's going on?" Kat asked, leaning back against the wall.
"Mr. Oskar and Mrs. Nadya are putting their feet down." Yuliya said.
"Really?" Kat said, doubting it very much.
As if reading her mind, Yuliya said: "They are very serious this time."
"Hmm." Kat commented without commenting. She knew the Ivanovs and their attitude towards their granddaughter. Before Kat had left, Oksana had walked on water as far as they were concerned. They loved her so much that sometimes Kat could sense Oksana felt smothered.
"They have changed the will." Yuliya said.
"What?"
"Oksana has done some bad things." Yuliya said.
"Like what?" Kat said. What could be so bad?
"She has slept with a lot of people?"
"Well, that's hardly a reason to-"
"A lot of married people." Yuliya said, watching her daughter's eyebrows rise. "A lot of people married to many of Mr. Oskar's employees." She watched Kat's mouth drop open. "Many people have been fired because they attacked Oksana. Her papa is very tired of losing good workers, but he is mostly afraid that Oksana will get herself killed."
Kat let the information sink in. "So who is on the new will?" She inquired. Stop being so nosy, Kat! She berated herself.
But Yuliya was happy to answer her questions. "Remember Oksana's cousin Gustav?" She said.
Kat's eyebrows rose into her hairline and she whistled softly. This is serious. "What the hell does she have to do in order to get back on the will?"
"Settle down, I suppose, among other things." Yuliya said, shrugging. "We will find out sooner or later, I guess."
CONTINUED…
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