"Why then?" Francesca asked as she confronted Katerina. "Why did the great Katerina Sebastian suddenly stop talking to me." She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Katerina sighed and frowned, she had never told anyone the truth of what happened so many years ago. It was a memory she had buried so deep that just thinking about it hurt her so much.

​​

"At the time, your career as an actress was doing great, and you were with Alvin already." Katerina said as she recalled the time she disappeared from her friend's life.

"Don't even mention his name." Francesca said in a bitter tone. Katerina gave her a sad smile before returning to her story.

"Your life was stable, the only problem was that you left the Rocci's and took up a different name, but other than that you were happy, you were doing great." Katerina explained.

"That still isn't an excuse Katerina. You were my best friend." Francesca cried out in disappointment.

"I know, but please hear me out first." Katerina asked in a calm tone. Francesca simply kept quiet and let her continue.

"Remember one night, you called me to tell me about your new career as an actress?" Katerina asked, to which Francesca simply nodded.

"I was with a man, he was the first guy I dated in America." Katerina closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she recalled the memory, it had happened so long ago and yet the memory was still so fresh in her mind. "We were out on a date and he invited me to go to a bar and drink. Back then I was young and excited and more than eager to get over Eric. I was tipsy, almost drunk and he asked me if he could stay over. I agreed."

Katerina stopped and hesitated, she wasn't sure if she could tell Francesca, no one, not even her brother Alexi knew about what had happened to her.

"I just wanted to be the perfect girlfriend, I wanted to please, I wanted him to accept me, to love me. I was young and naive and I had the wrong understanding of love and relationships." Katerina cried out. "At the time I would have done anything to please him, to keep him." Katerina paused and took a deep breath.

"Please understand that it's not easy for me to talk about this." Katerina explained. "He said I had to give myself to him, he said that he would leave me if I didn't let him." Katerina could feel a tear roll down her cheek as she remembered what happened to her.

"I was speechless, then he began to touch me without my permission, it started out as just a kiss, then he became more aggressive, his hands touched places that I didn't want him to so I said no. I tried to push him away, but he was bigger, taller, stronger. I couldn't fight back." Katerina said as she looked down at her feet. "When he was done with me I cried, I thought if I said anything or refused him any further I was being a bad girlfriend."

"Katerina." Francesca said as she reached out to hold Katerina's hand. "Why didn't you tell me or your brother?"

Katerina laughed. "Everyone already thought I was too casual with my relationships, at the time I was still a virgin but I dated and people assumed I'd have lost my virginity to one of them."

"But what that man did to you, Katerina it was wrong." Francesca said with a shaky voice, Katerina looked up and saw the guilt in her friend's eyes.

"Do you know what would have happened if people found out that Katerina Sebastian had been raped in america?" Katerina asked her friend.

Francesca shook her head, she couldn't imagine the implications it would have.

"A scandal would break out, people will say my father did not raise me right, then if I can somehow prove it was rape then my name would be dragged through the mud. My father was gunning for a higher position at the time, it would have ruined his chances." Katerina explained.

"Katerina, I'm sure your parents would rather have you safe at home." Francesca told her.

"They would." Katerina said with a knowing smile. "They would have asked me to come home and stay where it was safe, where no one would dare go against me. Francesca if I came home, I would have become like every other socialite out there. I wouldn't be me."

"Katerina, I'm sorry, I didn't know." Francesca said to Katerina.

"Don't be, it's not your fault, you didn't know." Katerina said, shaking her head. "I didn't tell anyone, I thought I could handle things on my own, but I couldn't." Katerina said with a sigh.

"But still, I'm sorry." Francesca said.

"Katerina." A handsome voice suddenly said, making Katerina look up in surprise.

"Eric? What? Why are you here?" Katerina asked as she looked at Eric who had a sad look on his face, it was clear that he had heard everything. Next to him was Ram who looked equally as gloomy, they all saw Kateria as their younger sister so hearing that she went through what she did, it broke his heart.

"Ayanna said you were here." Eric told her as he walked closer. "So I came. I missed you." Eric said as he pulled his girlfriend into his arms. The past few weeks Eric had been on set as he filmed his latest movie. Since the public couldn't know about their relationship Katerina never visited him on set unless Ram was there as well.

"Eric." Katerina began to sob into his chest. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I couldn't. I was so afraid Eric."

"Shhhh." Eric caressed the top of her head as he let her cry. "It doesn't matter, now I actually want to look for the guy and beat him up. How dare he touch my Katerina."

"Katerina, no matter what it is, we're here for you." Ram said as he sat next to Francesca.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Kat. I'm sorry I didn't look for the signs. It was wrong of me." Francesca told her. Katerina could see the sadness and the regret in Francesca's eyes.

"It's alright, at least things are better now." Katerina said with a nod, she had always wanted to make up with Francesca but she never had the opportunity to do so. Now everything was out in the open and hopefully they could both move on.

"Why don't we go home, watch a movie in bed, and rest?" Eric asked as he kissed Katerina in the forehead.

"That sounds nice." Katerina smiled up at Eric and allowed him to take her away.