Page 71 of Daughter of Secrets


Font Size:  

Olivia kept her gaze on her and when their eyes met, Elena threw her a hateful glance. Christian’s mother stepped toward Elena, gripping her cane so tight, her white knuckles shook around it.

“How could you, Elena!” she shouted in English, a look of raw disgust on her face as she walked a few more steps toward Elena. The officers ignored her and ushered Elena into one of the many police cars.

“To your own blood!” Christian’s mother shouted right before the young, skinny officer pushed Elena’s head down to get her into the back of the car. The words rang through the air as Elena’s mud-smeared face morphed into a look of shock.

Olivia turned toward Christian’s mother. “What did you just say?”

Christian’s mother turned to face her, both brows raised high.

“You said, ‘to your own blood.’ What . . . what did you mean by that?” Olivia asked, stepping closer, Christian right next to her.

His mother narrowed her eyes for a moment, then sighed. “You didn’t know?” she asked Olivia, her gaze once again softening.

“Know what?”

“So Maria and Andrei did make you a daughter of secrets then. I advised both of them against it.”

A hard lump formed in Olivia’s throat. She walked toward Christian’s mother without taking her eyes off her.

“Daughter of secrets? What secrets?”

His mother pinched her lips.

“Mom?” Christian said, and she nodded slowly.

“Elena is your aunt.”

The words hit so hard, it was almost as if someone had punched her.

“But . . . that would mean . . .”

Nodding, Christian’s mother added, “Andrei Rusu was your father.”

Olivia stood paralyzed, her feet rooted to the ground. Christian touched his mother’s arm. “Are you sure about this, Mom? I thought they were just distant relatives.”

Olivia remained silent, her lips twitching. Her shaking hand instinctively moving to the bare spot on her neck before she remembered that her necklace was gone.

“Andrei is her father,” his mother insisted before reaching for Olivia’s hand to squeeze it tenderly. “Many years ago, Maria told me that she was pregnant with a girl. She told me the day before she left for America. She . . .” Her voice cracked and she exhaled deeply. “She made me swear to her not to say a word.” She exhaled and looked up to the sky. “Forgive me, Maria, for breaking my promise, but it’s been so long, and I thought she knew.” Then she focused her gaze back on Olivia.

Andrei was my father? My real dad?She’d suspected it at first—a distant notion in her mind. Why else leave her all this money? But Mr. Stanley had made it clear to her that Andrei was not her father.

Olivia lowered her gaze, her eyes filling with burning tears. “But why did they lie to me?” she finally spoke, still frozen on the spot. “Why did neither of them say anything to me? And what about my dad? I mean, not Andrei . . . but . . . my dad. Did he know?”

Christian’s mother took her in her arms, speaking tenderly. “Your mother loved you madly even before you were born. She would never keep something from you if it wasn’t for the best.”

Olivia was still in her arms, ready to unleash an avalanche of questions, when she noticed a few officers leading a crying and handcuffed Alina out of the castle by her arms.

“Wait!” she shouted and broke away from Christian’s mother. Wiping her teary eyes, she rushed over to them. “What are you doing?”

The officers exchanged puzzled looks as Alina’s eyes grew wide. She stared at Olivia in anticipation. “This has to be a mistake,” Olivia explained. “She helped save my life.”

Christian joined them, threw Olivia areally?look, then rolled his eyes in defeat. “It’s true,” he said. “She told me where to find them.”

The officers nodded and released their harsh, forceful grip around Alina’s arms. “She’ll still have to come to the station for questioning now.”

Alina looked at them and nodded.

The only female officer of the group, a middle-aged, oval-faced woman, turned to Olivia as she uncuffed Alina. “We’ll come for your statement in the morning after you’ve had some rest. Same for you two.” The woman glanced at Christian and his mother.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like