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She squeezed the onion until the smell became stronger. She let it drop before her feet and wiped her hand against her coat.
I’m never seeing that man again,she vowed to herself, her fingers sticky and reeking of onion. She got back into the van and waited, feeling more irritated with each passing second. He returned some three minutes later, smile still on his face.
“Hope I wasn’t gone too long.” He jumped into the van. Without giving him as much as a glance, Olivia scoffed and looked out her window.
Christian was silent for few more seconds; she could feel his eyes on her. Then he started the van. “Off we go.”
“Good,” Olivia mumbled, still glancing out the window. “Let’s get this tour over with.”
***
They arrived at their destination after fifteen minutes of silence. Olivia had stared out the window the entire time, brushed off all of his attempts at conversation.
When they stopped again, it was in front of another little farm; except this one was rundown and needed repairs everywhere—broken sheds, cracked walls, moldy windowsills. It was shocking!
How could Andrei Rusu let his sister rot away like this? At least now, with her share of the inheritance, she’ll be able to buy whatever house she wants,Olivia thought. Why would a billionaire have family living in a heartbreaking situation like this one, and still will away all his money to a total stranger? It was even more puzzling now than when Mr. Stanley had announced it the first time.
An older woman waited outside the small house. She was thin with thick lines under her eyes. She was wearing a knee-length faux leopard coat. Another woman, much younger and dressed in pink pants and shirt, came out to join the woman as the van rolled to a stop.
The ladies walked up to the van and waited for Olivia to get out, all smiles.
“You must be Olivia,” the older one said, her English thick with a Romanian accent. She squeezed Olivia tight, then broke the hug but held on to her hand. “I am Elena,” she introduced herself, flashing her teeth in a broad smile. She turned to the other, younger lady. “And this is my daughter, Alina.”
“So good to meet you,” Alina said, her accent also seeping into her words. She grinned even wider than her mother as she came in for her own embrace.
“Thank you so much for this warm welcome.” Olivia gave them a genuine smile, enjoying their kindness. She flashed a scornful gaze at Christian, who frowned.
Then Alina went over to Christian and hugged him. She kept her arms around him as she asked, “Why don’t you ever text me back, huh? Too many girlfriends, I think.”
And he tried to add me to that list as well.
Christian tried to squirm his way free from Alina while awkwardly chuckling. “Alina, you know I’m always busy.”
Reluctantly, she let him go. He turned to Olivia, but she looked away.
“Come on in,” Elena said and led Olivia into the small house. The banged-up wooden door groaned as it opened, looking like it was going to fall off its rusty hinges any moment.
Elena must have noticed her gazing at the door. “We’re trying to manage,” she said, her sad eyes on Olivia. Then her gaze wandered over to Christian, who was still by the van.
“What are you doing?” Elena asked. Olivia turned around to see Christian taking her yellow suitcase out of the van. Christian, just like Olivia, looked confused.
“I’m taking her suitcase out of the van,” he answered. But Elena shook her head.
“No, no,” she started and walked out the door, which groaned even louder this time. Olivia followed her, careful not to touch the door.
“You don’t expect her to stay here, do you?” she asked, pointing at the house. Christian and Olivia exchanged puzzled looks. “I would never ask Olivia to stay in a poor house with a broken roof and mold creeping up the walls.” She glanced at Olivia with wide, dramatic eyes. “Coming all the way from America only to stay in this tiny shed my daughter and I barely manage to survive in.”
“I really don’t mind,” Olivia said. She had slept in a tiny room her whole life—well, most of it—and would never dare to complain. It wasn’t as if she craved the luxury.
Elena put a hand to her chest as if having a heart attack. “No. I beg you, please don’t argue with me. This is no place for you.”
Olivia felt horrible. She didn’t want to upset Elena anymore. She was probably embarrassed about her home. “I-I’m so sorry. I’ll find a hotel nearby. It’s really no big deal.” She smiled at Elena, who sighed in relief.
Christian stepped closer, scratched his head. “I could drop her off at the Moto’s Inn. It’s clean, and Moto is well respected.”
But Elena shook her head again. “That won’t be necessary. We’ve already made arrangements. She will stay at Magura Castle.”
Shock gripped Christian’s face. “Magura Castle? Up on the mountain?ThatMagura Castle?”
