Chapter 21 - Arina
I don’t say a word to Luka on our drive. He doesn’t say anything to me either, but he watches me with a fascination I’m not sure I like.
It feels like we’re in the van forever, and I keep wondering where he is taking me when, suddenly, we stop.
“We’re here.” He climbs out of the van and holds out a hand to help me.
I ignore his hand and step out of the van, looking around in wonder. It’s a sprawling estate, beautifully landscaped with a mansion of a house as I turn to look behind me.
Standing on the steps are a red-haired woman and Kervyn Milov. Luka touches my arm and guides me toward the mansion's entrance. I walk up the stairs hesitantly and come to stand in front of Kervyn, which is not what I pictured meeting him would be like.
“You’re definitely related to us,” he says with a soft smile.
I frown and clench my fists. “You have no right to take me out of my life to bring me here and mock me.”
Kervyn looks surprised and looks at the red-haired woman who steps forward. “Take you out of your life? We rescued you from the man who kidnapped you. Igor Sidorov.”
I shake my head. “You saved me for what reason? What could you possibly want from me?”
Luka steps forward. “She doesn’t know.”
“Doesn’t know what?” I say. “I demand to know what’s going on.”
Kervyn holds his hands up. “We didn’t know we had a sister.”
I’m stunned into silence. The years of hating them, the plans to destroy them, the thoughts of what luxurious lives they lead.
“You’re lying,” I finally say. “My mother said you drove her away.”
“Our father perhaps, but he was a rotten bastard.” Kervyn gestures to the front door. “Why don’t you come in and have something to eat? I’m sure you’re hungry.”
The woman gives me a reassuring smile. “I’m Penny, Kervyn’s wife. I promise we mean you no ill. Besides, everyone will be here soon.”
I look at her, confused. “Everyone?”
“Danil and his wife. Luka’s wife. Arseny and his wife. Mama Milov.” She lists off the people. “The kids are all at Danil’s house with the sitters.”
I look between Kervyn and Luka and then slowly follow Penny into the house. She leads me to a dining hall that could seat fifty people if it wanted to, but I’m used to that from Igor’s house.
Penny smiles and touches my arm. “Sit beside me. I don’t bite, I promise.”
I nod and sit beside her. Luka sits opposite us while Kervyn sits at the head of the table.
“Let me bring you up to speed,” Kervyn says. “We only recently found out about you. We were tipped off when you were kidnapped that you may be a Milov. Arseny, the third brother in the family, did some digging and some research, and we figured out you were related to us, and since then, we’ve been waiting for an opportunity to get you back.”
“Get me back?” I say bitterly. “You claim never to have known about me, and suddenly, you just want to have a sister in your life.”
“Family means everything to us,” Luka says, leaning forward on his arms. “We would do anything for family. We are excessively loyal. To a fault sometimes. We will help you divorce Igor, and you can stay with us and have the life you should have always had.”
“That’s not going to heal years of hurt.” I look between Kervyn and Luka.
“We know, but we’d like to give it a try.” Kervyn looks up as the front door opens and the hallway fills with noise. “Here they are now.”
They stream through the door, my other two brothers and their wives, and a third woman who must be Luka’s wife. Then, an elderly woman comes in after them, locks eyes with me, and stops. “This is her?”
I swallow hard—my brothers’ mother. I never thought I would ever confront her. I don’t even know what to say.
She gives a large smile and comes forward, cupping my face in her hands. “Thank God you don’t look too much like your father. He always was a dirty, cheating bastard.”