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“Can we go back to my house tomorrow?”
“What?” Olivia said. “Come on. I’m actually starting to like this place.”
Christian sighed.
“At least let us have it cleansed by the church,” his mother suggested.
“We can arrange for that,” Olivia said and smiled at Christian, who rolled his eyes.
“I think I remember where the kitchen was,” his mother said and entered the castle. Olivia was about to follow her when Christian grabbed her hand and pulled her back. His beautiful brown eyes were bright as he kissed her once more, pressing her closer to him. He gently caressed her chin after breaking the kiss.
“I’m glad you’re starting to like this place, because I won’t let you leave again soon,” he whispered before joining his mother inside. Olivia’s heart felt light and free. And when she stepped inside the castle, for this first time, she felt as if this was just the beginning of her life here in Romania . . . with the family she had always longed for.
.
EPILOGUE
The following summer Elena and Mihai were still in prison. Unlike Mihai, who would spend the rest of his life behind bars, Elena was going to be sent to a guarded retirement home. Turned out, her health actually did decline quickly in prison. Karma was paying her back. Olivia had arranged this transfer with the best lawyer in Romania—and a few generous donations to local politicians.
Olivia looked at herself in the dark wooden mirror that leaned against the wall of her bedroom. It was the same room she first stayed at in the castle when she arrived all those months ago. She had made it her room—hers and Christian’s, that is.
“I think it’s better this way. Alina has suffered enough after losing her mother like this,” Olivia said to Christian as she put her brown curls into a bun. She straightened her flower-patterned, white summer dress and tapped her necklace, which had been returned to her after the court proceedings were over. “I know what it’s like to lose a mother. I think the retirement home will be better.”
Christian came up from behind and wrapped his muscular arms round her waist. His handsome reflection appeared in the mirror over her shoulder. He looked stunning, as always. “I wish I could tell you not to do it. But then, your kind heart is the very reason I love you.” He kissed her cheek.
The Magura Castle was changing. They all lived there now—Olivia, Christian, his mother and sisters, and Alina. Together, they were turning it into a free boarding school for troubled kids. Alina would soon only be able to help during semester breaks, since her university dreams had already been set in motion.
Olivia’s gaze briefly dropped to the simple, silver engagement ring on her finger before she grinned, as she always did when she looked at it. Christian had proposed about a month ago. He had apologized that it was all he could afford, and she called him silly to apologize for that and started bawling in happiness as she said, “Yes!” Next to her necklace, it was the most beautiful thing she possessed.
“It’s funny how much less grey this place seems now,” she said.
“It’s the endless noise from my sisters. And soon there will be even more,” he said. “Maybe even . . .” he added, placing his hand on her belly.
“I told you, I’d let you know as soon as it happens.” Olivia laughed. “No need to ask me twice a day!”
“All right, how about once then?”
She smacked his shoulder and freed herself from his embrace. “Are the girls back from school yet?”
A loud drilling noise echoed though the hallway into the room. The castle had been full of noise lately—construction sounds, laughter, and vehicles coming in and out.
“There! They’re over there!” Ana’s high-pitched voice thundered though the hallway. She was followed by the rest of the gang: Daria, Sofia, and Gabriela, who were, in turn, followed by Christian’s mother, who used the newly installed elevators over the endless stairs.
Ana was waving a white envelope as she ran. Olivia could never get enough of them—these precious little girls, always jumping or singing, their voices filled with life and happiness.
“You have a letter,” Sofia hollered and snatched the letter out of Ana’s hand. They were all dressed in pink summer dresses, school backpacks still strapped over their shoulders, their golden hair shimmering in the rays of light coming in from the window.
“Hey!” Ana stomped her foot. “I wanted to give it to Olivia!”
Sofia grinned. She was a head smaller than Ana, yet she was running the show. Handing it over to Olivia, Sofia grinned when Olivia gave her ponytail a playful tug.
“Thank you, Princess Sofia,” Olivia said, and the little girl raised her chin briefly before they all thundered back out into the hallway, high-pitched screams surrounding them as the chased one another.
Olivia looked down at the letter in her hands. It had Mr. Stanley’s Boston address on it.
“It’s from Mr. Stanley, my lawyer. Strange,” Olivia said with a puzzled look on her face as she opened it. Inside the envelope was a letter and another envelope, one smaller and somewhat older looking. Olivia held the first letter closer to her face and read in silence.
Dear Ms. Olivia “Rusu,”
