AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Elena scoffed and shook her head. Then she took a deep breath. “We’ll go on with the plan just as we discussed, but my simple daughter doesn’t need to know that. This American has no family left. With her gone and no other heirs named, I will have a strong case fighting in court for what’s rightfully mine!”
Mihai nodded. “As long as I get my money,” he growled.
“You will…more than you can spend.”
The front doors opened, and Olivia stepped inside the castle, straightening her jacket. She managed a smile. “There you are. All ready to go?”
Elena mustered a smile. “Ready as can be.”
.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The van bounced around a curve. Christian’s arm glistened with sweat, his hand tight against the wheel as he steadied the vehicle, his other hand holding his phone.
“Come on, come on!” he pleaded to the phone. Zero bars still.
Dust clouds rose on either side of the van as the tires tore over the small road. The woods soon disappeared behind him, slowly easing into the vast openness of the farmhouses and fields at the foot of Magura Mountain. The colors of nature sprang up all around him, pushing back the greyness of the forest.
Thoughts filled with guilt racked his mind as his foot pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor.Where were you when they needed you? They must have tried calling,he kept thinking as he gripped the wheel tighter.
Suddenly, just as he passed the first house in the village, his phone beeped.
“Thank God! Finally!” He sighed with relief as his fingers frantically brought up the keypad. He dialed his mother.
“Connect already!’ he shouted. The phone rang for what felt like forever.
The phone clicked and he heard his mother’s voice.
“Hello? Hello?” he said. He’d been expecting frantic words and wails, or worse.
“Christian? Is that you? Are you all right?” she said.
“Am I all right?” he asked. “What’s going on with you? Are you at the hospital?”
“At the hospital? Why would I be at the hospital?” his mother said. “You’re starting to worry me. Is something the matter?” She paused. “Did your stay with the American woman at that dreadful castle not go well? I texted you the place is cursed.”
Christian didn’t understand what was going on. He exhaled and slowed down the van. “No. I’m fine and the tour is going”—he scratched his chin—“very well. But I thought you were ill, so I left early.”
“Ill? No. I was a bit weak yesterday but nothing too serious. Everyone here is fine. The girls are asking if you are now a prince and will marry a princess.”
Why would Elena say that Mom was ill?
“Christian?” his mother said.
Why would she lie about her health? Make me storm out of this place?
The realization hit him like a hammer on the head.
“To get rid of me!” he shouted as he slammed hard on the brakes.
“What? What are you talking about?” His mother sounded worried.
“Mom, listen. I gotta go!”
“Go? Back to Magura Castle? Christian! What’s going on?”
Taking a quick look around him, he saw the road was practically devoid of traffic except for a man on a cart being pulled by a grey donkey. Christian turned the van around.
