— I stopped being an accomplice, — the doctor corrected her. He came closer and opened the folder.
— What is that? — Igor croaked.
— These are your test results, — said Voronov. — You’re as healthy as an ox. No autoimmune disease. And this second paper… — He took out another sheet and showed it to Zhanna. — This is your medical chart, Zhanna Arkadievna, from the city gynecology archive. I pulled some old strings.
— Shut up! — she shrieked. — Igor, don’t listen to him! He’s lying!
— The only one lying here is you, — the doctor said sternly. — You are infertile. The consequence of a chronic inflammation ten years ago. You are physically incapable of being pregnant. Not by Igor, not by anyone.
Igor’s gaze shifted from the doctor to his lover, who was pressed against the trunk of an old oak, as if wanting to merge with the bark.
— Zhanna… — His voice trembled. — Is it true?
— He’s been bribed! — the girl screamed, but her voice was filled with panic now, not confidence.
Then Galina Ivanovna spoke up, taking a step forward.
— There’s a very interesting bag in the trunk of your car. I saw it when you opened the trunk to get the taser.
— What bag? — Igor asked dumbly.
— With the money, — Andrey explained. — The same four million you borrowed to pay off your debt. And a plane ticket. One ticket in Zhanna’s name. Departure at two a.m.
Igor slowly rose from the ground. Andrey didn’t restrain him. The man looked at his lover as if seeing her for the first time.
— You were going to leave alone?
— What was I supposed to do? — Zhanna suddenly snapped. Her face contorted with rage. — You’re a loser. You lost everything.
— Yes, I was going to leave. Because I deserve a beautiful life, not bringing you care packages in prison.
Igor stood swaying as if from a blow.
— But I loved you. I betrayed my mother for you. My wife…
— Who needs your love? I needed the money.
Igor slowly turned to Katya and fell to his knees, grabbing the hem of her coat.
— Katya, Katyusha, forgive me. She bewitched me. I didn’t know what I was doing.
Katerina looked down at her husband and was surprised to find an absolute silence within her. No pain, no anger, no love. Only disgust, as if she had stepped on an earthworm. Carefully, with two fingers, Katya detached his hand from her coat.
— Get up, don’t embarrass yourself…
