"Why would he do this! Why did he take it all! He knew the money was ours. Why did he marry me If he didn't even love me!"

Everyone had piled into Maria's hotel room to discuss this unfortunate situation.

"I'm so sorry, Maria," Sinvoia started. "We had no idea."

"What a cruel thing to do!" Charlotte fumed.

"Yes, we had no idea at all." Mikhail added.

"I knew that man was up to something when he went to London!" Vasili insisted.

"Valentin is a bad man!" Olga lectured.

"I'm sorry that I even liked him!" Xenia huffed.

Anastasia sat next to Maria on their bed and comforted her.

"Have you told your parents yet, Catia?" Anastasia asked.

"No."

"Is he really not coming back home? He's going to stay here forever?" Sinvoia had started to cry.

"I'm not sure. We're all not sure."

After talking with everyone, the sisters prepared for bed.

"How am I going to tell the children their father isn't coming home?" Maria sighed as she took out miniature photo frames of Vivianne, Elena, and Anatolli from her suitcase.

(Vivianne)

(Elena)

(Anatolii)

"I'm sure Valentin will come back. He can't leave the children." Anastasia hugged Maria.

Just then, a knock came from the door that connected their room to the one next to them.

"Come in." Maria said. It was Andrei.

"May I please speak to Anastasia, alone."

Anastasia walked into Andrei's room. They sat on the two beds across from one another.

"Anastasia, I'm so sorry about the proposal. I should have respected when you said no. I understand you may have different reasons but I became upset. I said things I didn't mean. None of it is true-"

"No." Anastasia interrupted.

"It is true. I didn't know the world was so cruel. I thought that the world was so good but that point of view was taken from behind closed doors. When the war started, we were exposed to such horror."

"I shouldn't have gotten so upset. Now, my mother's wedding ring is gone forever. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course, Andrei." Anastasia hugged him.

As they hugged, they heard music coming from outside. The storm had passed and the night was clear except for a few clouds that traveled by.

They stepped onto the balcony to see people dancing on the sidewalk across from their hotel in front of a small cafe lit up in lights. There was a band inside, playing live music. It was a slow mellow tune, mainly consisting of the accordion, trumpet, and piano.

"May I have this dance, kind monsieur!" Anastasia bowed.

"Of course, kind madame!"

The two slow danced together. Andrei had his hands around Anastasia's waist while she had her hands around Andrei's neck.

"Good thing you had come in time or Valentin would have hurt me real bad!" Andrei laughed, referring to their incident at the opera hours earlier.

"We gave him a good few punches in the kisser!" Anastasia pretended to punch Andrei's lips.

Andrei couldn't help but notice the small glimmer of moonlight in Anastasia's eyes. He gazed into them endlessly as he twirled her. Just then, something magical occurred, the Effiel Tower suddenly sparkled with light, entrancing the two.

"Wow..." they both whispered in unison as they pulled away from each other.

As the Effiel Tower's dazzling lights shimmered on, Anastasia and Andrei turned to face one another.

Andrei felt a ping in his heart. It was that feeling that overtook his body whenever he was with Anastasia.

Happiness.

Anastasia also felt happy in that moment.

But, it was more than happy.

So much more than happy.

The next few seconds seemed to go by in slow motion. Anastasia walked towards Andrei, cupped his face in her palms, and put her lips on his.

Once he realized what was going on, Andrei gave in to her kiss, falling prey to his emotions. They kissed passionately under the starlit sky, all sense of time and space fading away. This moment didn't even feel real. Nothing felt real anymore. Andrei felt that he and Anastasia were the only two people in the world from the time their lips touched to when they departed.

Anastasia felt that this moment was ever so romantic. The glittering Effiel tower in front of them, the faint sound of music, the warm night breeze. She wasn't fond of the affairs of love and the thought of kissing, but this moment in time she would cherish for the rest of her life.

Once a few seconds passed, Anastasia took her lips off of Andrei's and stared into his chocolate eyes. After one last kiss on the cheek, Anastasia dashed off of the balcony, smiling to herself.

Anastasia hurried back into Maria's room.

"Maria!" she squealed. "I just had my first kis-"

She stopped when she saw Maria laying in bed, her hands covering her face.

As Anastasia undressed in the bathroom, she could hear Maria crying softly. After dressing, Anastasia laid next to Maria in bed and held her tight.

"It is alright, Mashka. I'm positive Valentin will return tomorrow. Money or no money, I know he loves you. How could anyone not love sweet Maria!"

Valentin did return the next morning

"That pig is back!" Olga muttered as she watched him enter the revolving doors.

The family had gathered in the lobby with their luggage, awaiting taxis that would take them out of Paris and to the ship docks. As he approached, Anastasia gripped her sister's hand tightly. Maria looked back at her with a reassuring smile.

"I'll be okay," she whispered to Anastasia who left her side to stand with the others.

The two stood firm face-to-face. Maria almost gagged at the smell of Valentin's breath, which reeked of heavy alcohol and cigarettes.

"Valentin. Do you really love me?"

"Look here, Maria. I'm not returning home. I'm sure of it now."

"I understand if you're not happy in England or...with me but why must you stay here?"

"I've found a new purpose here in Paris."

Maria was confused. What was so special about Paris?

"Valentin! Valentin!" a voice called out in French.

A young woman dressed in a blue sundress walked up to him. She had short black hair that was cut into a bob. She wore bright red lipstick and rouge. She also wore sunglasses which she took off once she reached Valentin.

"Who are you? "the woman asked Maria.

"Valentin! Who is this!" she demanded.

Maria was anxious. Who was this girl?

"Clarice," Valentin spoke in English. "This is Maria Romanov. My ex-wife."