Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Maksimillian

I watched as Zenovia slept peacefully beside me. She was on her side, facing me. The morning sun aided me to have a pretty good look at her, as the light freely came in through the glass wall. The curtains were not drawn as usual since this part was safe from any long-distance attack or attempt on my life as the hotel was near the edge of a cliff. My bodyguards downstairs had this side covered as well, just in case.

Zenovia’s beautiful grey eyes were close, but this didn’t make her less exquisite. After her breakdown last night and our talk about the baby, I helped her cleanse first and cuddled her to sleep. I just assured her that I’d do anything for her, which she looked uncomfortable for some reason. I had no idea what was running in her pretty little head, but for sure, I’d know later on. I just hoped it wouldn’t go as bad as I suspected.

I was careful not to wake her when I went to the bathroom butt naked to take a shower. It was already past eight in the morning. But I thought she might need some more rest after that emotional breakdown.

I stepped out of the bathroom with only my towel wrapped around my waist. My hair was still damp from the shower. I glanced at Zenovia, who was still immobile in the bed, just as I left her less than fifteen minutes ago.

I texted one of my bodyguards to order some food for us to be sent in the suite. I didn’t want to talk over the phone to not disturb Zenovia’s sleep.

Her phone on the bedside table suddenly rang, which made her stir and wake up. I watched her feel for it by her hand, eyes still closed. I couldn’t help but smile as her hand kept reaching for the ringing cell phone. I quietly moved and pushed the phone near her hand, and she got a hold of it.

“Allo,” she answered with a groan. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, squinting as she listened to the caller.

I didn’t get who it was since I didn’t peer at the screen, but she appeared to be sour-looking. She spoke in Romanian. Of course, I could only guess a few people who ever called her.

“Mihai!” Her voice sounded like a warning. She sat bolt right up while I crossed my arms on my chest, gazing at her.

So, it was her brother calling.

“Ce (What)?” She looked around like in panic, the sheet covering her naked breasts. Then, she caught me standing just by the bedside table. “Nu (No)!” Not long afterwards, a string of Romanian words left her mouth rapidly.

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I could only guess. She was against whatever Mihai was talking about.

“Hey. What’s wrong?” I asked her when she ended the call. I sat on the edge of the bed, facing her.

She covered her face with her hands. “Mihai said they’re not going to Iași to see me.”

“Oh.”

“But…” She rubbed her face and looked at me, shaking her head. “They’re coming here to see me. It’s easier and a shorter trip actually than going to Iași. From Bucharest to here, it’s just more than a couple of hours drive compared to almost or more than six-hour drive to Iași. My father sometimes prefers to drive than to take the train or the plane.”

I nodded and smiled at her. “Then, I guess you have to get ready before they arrived.”

She stared at me. “They’re almost here.”

“That’s good then. So, what are you waiting for?”

“I don’t want to see my father, Maks!” she snapped.

I blinked a few times. “Okay,” I slowly said. “Then, tell your brother where you can meet him. Your father will probably drop him off there, and we’ll see your brother. I mean, you. I’ll send you to wherever it is in the city.”

Her jaw dropped. “There’s no way my father will just drop off his son in an unfamiliar place, Maks!”

A wicked smile appeared on my face, which weirded her. “Then, I’ll meet your dad and your brother.”

***

Zenovia looked uneasy when she saw her brother and father enter the hotel restaurant. Instead of cancelling the food for room service, I had the bodyguards eat them instead in their room, since they hadn’t had breakfast yet. They usually had it at nine, as they would have coffee before that time. A couple of them though were at the restaurant, blending naturally with other customers.

“Zen!” her brother excitedly called out.

He was tall for his age, lean and had short dark brown hair, wearing a white shirt and blue ripped jeans, as well as running shoes. He actually had some similarities to Zenovia. They shared the same eye colour, where they took after their father, who had an average height and a bit stocky in build. He had average looks and looked… kind.

It must be hard seeing herself in the mirror, reminding her all the time that she had the same eyes as her father, whom she hated so much. She told me she last saw them three years ago.

I saw how Zenovia’s eyes waver when she tried to smile at her brother, which came out as a little grimace. Then, she met her father’s eyes.

“Hei. Ce mai faci (Hey. How are you)?” her father asked in a gentle tone. He looked at her with concern in his eyes as he sat down across from us.

“Just order anything you want, my treat,” she said in English instead to her brother, who kissed her cheek.

“You’re not going to introduce him to us?” he asked in English as well, eyeing me.

She glanced at me and then at her brother and father, feeling awkward. I understood why she was in this predicament though.

“Uh… This is Maksimillian. Maks, my brother Mihai and… my father,” she said, voice lowering at the last phrase as if she didn’t want to say it.

I held out a hand to her father first, with a formal smile on my lips. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Cuza.”

He looked at me straight in the eye and nodded, taking my hand for a brief but firm shake. I did the same to her brother, who was staring at me.

“Hey. I think I know you,” Mihai observed. Recognition dawned in his eyes, and they lit up.

“Shut it, Mihai. Don’t even say it. Okay?” Zenovia warned her brother.

He looked at her with open mouth. “Seriously? He… he’s…”

She gave him a warning glare this time.

“Zenovia! It’s good to see you here with Maksimillian, dorogoy!”

And I stared with jaw hanging open at my grinning aunt, who was glancing at the two men seated across from us.

O, Bozhe! Aunt Marisha may just complicate Zenovia’s position at the moment.