Page 34 of A Prague Noel

“I know this is a lot to take in all at once. And we, of course, expect you will need to have some deep discussions and review the proposal. But know that Greta Wolf is very interested in your property, and I think you will find her offer most difficult to refuse.”

Elsa smiled, but there was a chilling mechanical quality to it. Ondrej might have been imagining it, but he thought he spotted lupine incisors sticking out.

* * *

"They certainly know what they're doing," Pavel said once it was just the three of them sitting beside a crackling fire, whiskey in hand, slick documents scattered across the table. "The financial implications alone are... significant."

Ondrej had been silent for most of the presentation but finally spoke up. “We can’t accept.”

“It’s a lot of money,” Pavel said.

“Almost too much,” Dominika said.

They both looked at her.

“Is there such a thing?” Pavel said.

She bobbed her head. “Doesn’t it seem like too much to be on the right side?”

“I agree with Domi. It feels off. That much money feels desperate. And why?” Ondrej said.

“Because Wolf sees the potential. She knows what she’s doing. We are most certainly not her rookie project. She wants what she wants, and so she offers more than market value to ensure she gets it. It’s what she does,” Pavel said.

Ondrej leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from the papers to the view outside the window.

"But at what cost, Pavel? For a moment, let’s be civil, but real. Brother to brother here. Wolf Corp doesn't just renovate—they transform. And not always with respect for the past. They are not going to care about our sentiments when they start ripping out staircases.”

Pavel shrugged dismissively in a way that irritated Ondrej. “And that’s your problem. You're too sentimental, Ondrej. This is business. We have to think about the future of the hotel, our financial security. Wolf Corp can give us that."

“So can Arcadia.”

“I thought you didn’t want to sell at all?” Pavel snapped.

“I don’t! I just—lesser of two evils, I suppose.”

"But Ondrej has a point,” Dominika interjected, her tone cautious. “The hotel is more than just a building or a business. It's our heritage, our parents' dream. Can we really put a price on that?"

Pavel leaned forward, his eyes hard. “You’re both making me want to throw up. Come on. I loved Mama and Papa as much as you did, but what about us for once? Our lives, our futures? Don’t we deserve a future? We can't cling to sentimentality and let opportunities pass us by. You think Mama and Papa would want us to keep it, but I think they would want us to finally live. To be free of this burden.”

Ondrej felt a small crack at his center.To be free of the burden.He saw it then in his brother’s eyes. The weight. The pressure. The memory. Pavel needed to be gone from this place as desperately as Ondrej needed to stay.

But the thought of the Novák Hotel losing its essence was unbearable. "I just need some time to think," Ondrej said, standing. "This isn't a decision we can rush into. Let me review the proposal.”

“It’s two against one, Ondrej,” Pavel said.

Ondrej shot his sister a look. Her mouth fell slightly, then snapped shut again. “It’s a hard offer to refuse, Ondrej. Just—just think it through.”

Dominika looked at Ondrej with such a mix of pity he couldn’t stand it. He hated feeling like this. So—defeated. That wasn’t who he was. He wasn’t a man who gave up. But here he was. He didn’t see another choice.

The door to the office opened then and Sienna stepped into the room, her expression a mixture of determination and unease. The air was suddenly even thicker with tension.

“Sienna, hi,” Pavel said with clipped politeness. “Excuse us, we were just finishing up a—a private meeting.”

Sienna stepped closer and cleared her throat. "I know about the offer from Wolf Corp. And, frankly, I think it's a terrible idea for you to even consider it."

Pavel raised an eyebrow, then smirked. “Well, you would say that, wouldn’t you? Not exactly in your best interest.”

Sienna shook her head, her voice laced with a hint of urgency. “I know you would think that. But It's not just about Arcadia Corp. It's about the essence of the Novák. Selling to Wolf Corp would mean losing everything this hotel stands for. They'll strip it of its identity, its history. I’ve seen what Greta Wolf does. She’s ruthless.”

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