Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 349

Chapter 349: Worse than my brother
Varya glanced at her watch, irritation flickering in her eyes as she noted how late Sylvia was. Though she despised waiting, she kept her composure because meeting Sylvia was too important to let frustration get the better of her.

She took another sip of her second coffee, exhaling softly before picking up her phone to call Sylvia. Just as she was about to dial, a voice from behind interrupted her.

“I’m sorry for making you wait. I got an urgent work,” Sylvia said, pulling out a chair. But the moment her gaze landed on Varya, her expression shifted from casual apology to shock. “You?” she blurted out, her eyes widened in disbelief.

Varya stood gracefully, meeting Sylvia’s stunned gaze. “I am Varya Sokolov,” she introduced herself.

Sylvia’s surprise quickly morphed into irritation. “You got my number from Roger, didn’t you?” she accused.

“Yes,” Varya admitted without hesitation. She gestured toward the chair. “Why don’t you sit?”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Sylvia snapped, crossing her arms defensively.

Varya chuckled lightly, unfazed by her hostility. “Have you always been this stubborn, Sylvia?” she mused. “I didn’t come here to fight with you.”

“Did you forget what you did to me yesterday?” Sylvia demanded. Her eyes flickered around the café, taking in the peaceful atmosphere, now disrupted by their tense conversation.

With a sigh, she finally settled into the chair, placing her handbag on the one beside her. Only then did Varya sit as well.

Raising a hand slightly, Varya signaled the waiter. Sylvia ordered a coffee for herself, while Varya simply glanced at the cup already placed before her. The waiter jotted down the order and left without a word.

“I did what was right in that situation, Sylvia,” Varya stated. “Do you really think humiliating someone in front of others is acceptable? I don’t know what your relationship with Roger is, nor do I care. But if you put on a display like that in front of me, I will respond accordingly.”

Sylvia scoffed. “I did what he deserved,” she countered, crossing her arms. Then, shifting the conversation, she fixed Varya with a sharp gaze. “Tell me, how do you know my brother? He never mentioned you. And you don’t seem like you’re from Rome.”

“I’m from Russia,” Varya revealed. “Matteo and I were together back then. He told me about you.” Her voice softened slightly. “I know he passed away four years ago. Since I didn’t know anyone here, it was difficult for me to find you.”

Sylvia’s expression faltered. Her brother had never told her about Varya. He had always been secretive, keeping things from her—even something as significant as this. A flicker of betrayal settled in her chest, but she pushed it aside.

“Don’t tell me you still love my brother,” Sylvia murmured, watching Varya closely. She didn’t understand why, but the thought unsettled her. Matteo was gone. Varya needed to move on.

A small, knowing smile played on Varya’s lips as she lowered her gaze, offering no answer.

Just then, the waiter returned with Sylvia’s coffee. She picked up the cup and took a slow, sip, using the moment to gather her thoughts.

“How have you been doing?” Varya asked.

Sylvia, in the middle of lowering her coffee cup onto the saucer, froze for a moment. She glanced at Varya in surprise, caught off guard by the genuine concern in her tone, something she rarely heard from those around her.

“Fine,” she replied curtly, though the answer felt hollow even to her own ears.

Varya studied her carefully. “Are you sure? Because you don’t seem fine. Losing your only family, your only brother, must have been difficult,” she said. “Matteo was always worried about you.”

Sylvia hesitated before responding. “I don’t think he was,” she muttered, gripping the handle of her cup. “If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have kept so many secrets from me. He never told me about you or the countless other things he hid.”

“Matteo wanted to keep you away from his work,” Varya pointed out.

“I know,” Sylvia admitted. “That’s exactly why he chose to keep me in the dark about everything he did.”

Varya watched her closely, sensing that Matteo had never truly let his sister into his world. He had tried to protect her, but in doing so, he had built walls that had left her feeling more isolated than safe. Perhaps that was the reason why Sylvia turned out to be such an obnoxious person.

After a long pause, Sylvia finally spoke again, changing the subject. “How do you know Roger?” she asked.

“Well, Lucius approached me. Did he tell you about Tsar and Vladimir Romanov?” Varya inquired.

“No. I know a bit about Tsar, but not much,” Sylvia admitted. “Besides, Lucius hardly talks to me. He’s worse than my brother. He promised Matteo he would keep me safe, and then he just started neglecting me, got married and moved on…” She sighed, realizing there was no point in complaining.

Varya observed her carefully. It was clear Lucius hadn’t told Sylvia that Matteo’s killers were being punished. She chose to remain silent, deciding it was best for Lucius to tell her when the time was right.

“Who are they?” Sylvia asked, her voice edged with curiosity.

“I think you should ask Lucius. He can explain it better. Also, he never moved on after losing Matteo. Maybe in love life he did, but he always chased for the truth,” Varya replied calmly.

Sylvia furrowed her brows and let out a quiet hum, clearly unsatisfied by the response but choosing not to press further.

“Don’t stay stuck in the past, Varya. My brother is long gone, and you should move on. Whatever promises he made to you, they don’t matter anymore. It’s up to you to decide what you do with your life now,” Sylvia stated bluntly before taking another sip of her coffee.

Varya acknowledged her words with a small nod. “Thank you for the advice.”

Once they finished, Varya reached for her wallet to pay, but Sylvia was quicker. She handed her card to the cashier before Varya could protest.

“I assume you’ve already visited my brother’s grave. Roger must have taken you,” Sylvia said as they stepped out of the café.

“Yes, I did,” Varya confirmed.

“Where are you staying? And how long will you be here?” Sylvia asked.

Varya told her the name of the hotel. “I’ll be leaving in five days.”

“Alright. I’ll see you off at the airport, then,” Sylvia said before pausing for a moment. “I’ll forgive you this time. I don’t want you to think Matteo’s sister is evil. They all made me like this,” she remarked, her voice laced with bitterness.

Varya’s expression softened. “I’m sorry for your loss, Sylvia. I wish I could do something for you. If you ever want to come to Russia with me, you’re more than welcome.”

“No, thank you. This is my home. I grew up here, and I should stay here,” Sylvia asserted.

“Hmm.” Varya stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Sylvia, gently caressing her back. “It was wonderful meeting you.” She pulled away with a warm smile.

Sylvia hesitated for a second before smiling back. “I’ll drop you off at your hotel. I brought my car,” she offered.

Varya didn’t refuse, and the two of them left together in Sylvia’s car.