Braelyn’s POV
Margaret. I just stood there, staring at the lady who was calling . She looked to be in her sixties, worst case scenario in her Seventies. Everything about her scread elegance. A true rich madam.
Her brown eyes settled on . Then a small smile curled up her lips. It was not crafty but a genuinely soft smile. This was a woman I had clearly never seen before in my life.
"Co on dear, Aunty is not going to hurt you." She beckoned and I took the first step. My feet felt heavy as I moved forward slowly, step by step, while her eyes remained warm until I finally stopped before her.
Under her gaze I bent down toward her hand. They were wrinkled but still soft, like she had never done anything strenuous in her life.
She rubbed my face gently, then nodded. A seat was pulled beside her, right in the middle between Margaret and the man whose face I could not place.
"You look beautiful. Too bad you do not take much from your father," she said.
My eyes went wide. "You know my dad?" I blurted out.
She nodded, urging to sit down.
"Dominic and I practically grew up together, but let’s eat first. Enough of the unpleasant topic," she said, then shot Yelena a sharp look. Yelena only scoffed.
She was still bitter about sothing.
I awkwardly sat down at the table. The aroma from the several dishes drifted to my nose and my stomach grumbled in protest from the days I had not eaten a proper al.
Margaret held my shoulder.
"Have your fill, Braelyn. That is what is important. Make sure not to hold back."
At her cue the servants started piling food onto my plate. Although I was confused about why Margaret was here, I was genuinely hungry.
It did not matter if the al was poisoned or not. At least I would get to die on a full stomach.
I started devouring the food.
The al continued. Although I could sense an intimidating presence from Yelena across the table, she held back, keeping the al as civil as possible. Margaret kept fussing around like a grandmother.
It reminded of how Katerina, Gregor’s wife, used to treat when she was alive.
The man beside held conversations with Yelena while Margaret chirped in periodically.
I kept shoving food into my mouth. I was genuinely concerned my cheeks might explode.
"You have such a healthy appetite, Braelyn. It makes wonder if Yelena fed you."
Yelena gave a dry chuckle.
"I am generous enough that she is still alive. Do not push it," Yelena said, then glanced at .
"With everything her family owes , the only reason I did not kill her is because of our standing friendship. I thought you wanted to pay the debt," she chuckled, then added, "but I guess I was the one who lost a daughter."
There was an awkward beat.
My hands tightened around my fork.
The gentleman beside then spoke elegantly. "The debt was owed by Avelina Alderheim and not Braelyn’s family," he muttered.
"Dominic foolishly gave everything for love. And to settle accounts, I have given the projects to your grandsons, Lucien and Killian," he explained.
My eyes narrowed. Were they protecting ?
I was eating the last course and was almost done with my al. I had been full long ago, but I was scared I might not eat this well again for a long ti, so I kept shoving more food into my mouth.
Margaret finally spoke.
"I failed to stop Dominic then, and I know money cannot bring Nadia back, but Braelyn is not an Alderheim anymore."
She dropped her cutlery, then picked up a napkin to dab her lips.
"You easily forgave Dominic and Avelina. I truly cannot believe you want to protect their daughter," Yelena laughed.
"I know it is pathetic, my dear friend, but thank you. The Voss family will rember this debt," she said.
Her seat screeched as it pulled back.
"Elliot," she called out.
Elliot stood up and bowed to Yelena.
"As the head of the Voss family, we promise to repay this debt with another favour. I know our families have been close for generations."
Yelena took her glass and took a slow sip before casually waving it off.
"If I cannot take my anger out on Avelina’s child, Katerina has a lot of descendants," she said with a smile, but the bitterness in her tone remained.
She was not happy with this.
"She will be forgiven because of our family ties and my dear friend Margaret."
Yelena stood up and I followed after her.
"When my son died, Elliot was the one who supported my grandson Kirill from the shadows to take over the family business. We can consider that debt paid, although it is not equal to a human life. I hope in tis of need the Voss family rembers the Orlovs."
Her words were choked with emotion. The hand holding her cane trembled slightly.
"The only request I make is that she stays away from Lucien. That boy has been hurt a lot and has fallen in love with the wrong won twice."
Her words stung my heart.
Margaret nodded.
"I understand. Once the Voss family settles scores with the Volkovs, a suitable match will be found for Braelyn. If none is suitable, we have no problem supporting her forever."
My head was spinning.
Never go close to Lucien again. Elliot. The Voss family. Old debts.
I was trying to piece all of it together.
Margaret gave Yelena one last smile, then took my hand.
"Let’s go ho, Braelyn," she chid, and I wondered what this ho was or who she truly was.
Margaret.
I rembered her na from my earlier dream. She was soone my dad betrayed.
Why was she helping ?
And Elliot Voss. The na finally clicked.
He was the chairman of one of the biggest dical conglorates in the world. The Voss empire owned several pharmaceutical companies, top hospitals, and dical manufacturing firms.
To say Elliot was wealthy would be an understatent. Without a doubt he was not just a billionaire but among the richest n in the world.
He was on the sa level as the late Gregor Volkov, and yet this titan had taken an oath to save .
Why?
I followed Margaret and Elliot out of the dining room with Yelena trailing behind.
My grip subconsciously tightened around Margaret’s arm. I was nervous and had no idea where I was going or if it would be an even worse hell.
Margaret sensed the tension and patted my hand.
"Relax, child. We will talk in a better place. No one will hurt you," she assured .
And yet sothing in this stranger’s voice made believe her.
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