“Hello,” Catherine said calmly in a well-placed voice, crossing her arms over her chest and slightly tilting her head to one side so that the interlocutor could be better seen, but at the same time continuing to lie on the floor.

"But why? Why do I look like a fool every time I'm next to him?!”

Fine wrinkles gathered around Maxim's eyes, and a smile touched his tightly compressed lips. He quickly approached the girl and, without uttering a word, easily lifted her along with the chair, returning her to her normal position.

Katherine's face was on fire, her eyes darkened and she stared straight ahead, or rather at the...