The inherited vow

Chapter 7 : Alina

Today was going to be a good day.

It was Irina's eighteenth birthday, which meant the entire house had been awake since early morning.

I quickly slipped into my dress, fixed my hair, and headed downstairs.

The moment I reached the living room, the sweet aroma of freshly baked cake greeted me.

Mama's birthday cake.

She made the same recipe every year for all of us. No matter how old we got, she refused to let anyone's birthday pass without making it herself.

The dining table was already covered with food.

Fresh pastries, fruit, pancakes, eggs, sausages, and several Russian dishes Mama insisted on preparing herself, even though we had more than enough staff to handle breakfast.

And right in the middle of the table sat the cake.

I smiled.

“Good morning, Mom,” I greeted.

“How was your night, darling?” Mama asked, barely looking up as she arranged the plates.

“Good. You've been awake since when?” I asked.

“Since six,” Mama replied.

I stared at her.

“Six in the morning?”

Mama smiled. “It's your sister's eighteenth birthday. Everything has to be perfect.”

I laughed softly.

“You know you don't have to do all this yourself, right?”

“I know,” she said. “I want to.”

I walked over and began helping her arrange the table.

A few minutes later, Papa walked into the room.

“Good morning,” Papa greeted.

“Good morning, Papa,” I replied.

He leaned down and kissed Mama's cheek before looking over the table.

“Everything ready?” he asked.

“Almost,” Mama answered.

Papa nodded before glancing toward the staircase.

“Is the birthday girl awake?”

I laughed.

“Probably not.”

As if she'd heard us, footsteps sounded from upstairs.

A moment later, Irina appeared.

And somehow, she looked annoyingly perfect for someone who had just gotten out of bed.

Her hair fell effortlessly around her shoulders, her skin looked flawless, and even in her sleepy state, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine.

Irina could wake up looking like a goddess.

It was honestly unfair.

She slowly made her way downstairs, rubbing her eyes.

Then she noticed everyone gathered around the table.

Her sleepy expression immediately disappeared.

“Happy birthday, Irina!” we all shouted.

Her mouth fell open.

“Awwwn! This is so cute!”

She hurried toward us, smiling brightly.

“You all deserve hugs and kisses!”

Mama laughed as Irina hugged her.

Papa smiled as Irina hugged him next.

“Happy eighteenth birthday, princess,” Papa said.

“Thank you, Papa!” Irina replied.

Papa handed her a small velvet box.

Irina looked at it suspiciously.

“What is this?”

“Open it,” Papa told her.

She opened the box.

Inside was a delicate diamond bracelet.

Her eyes widened.

“Papa!”

She looked up at him in disbelief.

“You got this for me?”

“Of course,” Papa answered. “You're eighteen only once.”

Irina immediately hugged him.

“I love you!”

Papa chuckled.

“I love you too.”

She pulled away and admired the bracelet again.

Mama handed her another beautifully wrapped box.

“Now open mine,” Mama said.

Irina quickly opened it.

Inside was a designer handbag she'd been wanting for months.

Her jaw dropped.

“Oh my God!”

She looked at Mama.

“You remembered!”

Mama smiled.

“You've mentioned it enough times. It would have been difficult to forget.”

Irina laughed and hugged her.

I shook my head.

“You're going to run out of space for all those bags.”

Irina turned toward me.

“Never.”

I laughed.

“Of course not.”

Lucian walked over next, holding a medium-sized gift box.

“I've got something for you too,” he said.

Irina's eyes immediately lit up.

“Really?”

Lucian handed her the box.

“Happy birthday, little sister.”

She opened it.

Whatever she saw inside made her gasp.

“Oh my God, Lucian!”

She threw her arms around him.

He laughed.

“I'm glad you like it.”

“I love it!”

She pulled away and looked at her gift again.

“Thank you!”

“You're welcome.”

Irina was still admiring her presents when her eyes landed on another package sitting on the table.

She frowned.

“What about that one?”

I glanced at it.

“That?”

She nodded.

“Who is it from?”

I smiled.

“Open it.”

She picked up the package and studied it.

“Is it mine?”

“Yes,” I replied.

She opened it carefully.

Her expression changed instantly.

She pulled out the necklace.

Her eyes widened.

“No way.”

She looked at the box again.

Then back at the necklace.

“Is this SOKOLOV?”

I nodded.

Irina's mouth fell open.

“He got me the latest diamond necklace from SOKOLOV!”

I smiled.

“So that was what was in the package Alex sent for you after all.”

Irina stared at the necklace for a moment.

Her excitement softened.

“So he remembered after all.”

There was a hint of surprise in her voice.

I smiled.

“Of course he did.”

She carefully ran her fingers over the necklace.

Lucian leaned closer to look at it.

“Alex has expensive taste.”

Irina smiled.

“He always has.”

Mama finally cleared her throat.

“Enough admiring the gifts. Come and eat before everything gets cold.”

Irina laughed.

“Okay, okay.”

We all took our seats around the table.

For the next hour, the house was filled with laughter, teasing, birthday wishes, and the occasional argument over who was stealing food from whose plate.

For a while, everything felt peaceful.

.....

It was afternoon already, I was laying on my bed.

I knew what I had to do.

The problem was figuring out how to do it without my father's men finding out.

I picked up my phone and texted Irina.

TEXT: Meet me at Bella's house. I need your help.

Her reply came almost immediately.

TEXT: Wait what?

TEXT: I'll explain when you get here.

There was a short pause.

TEXT: Fine.

I sat on the edge of my bed and waited.

Lucian was still downstairs, and as long as he was home, sneaking out would be nearly impossible. He knew me too well. If he even suspected I was planning something, he'd probably tell our parents before I made it past the driveway.

So I waited.

And waited.

Finally, I heard the front door close.

I stood up immediately.

I grabbed my car keys, headed downstairs, and stepped outside.

My father's men were waiting exactly where I'd expected them to be.

Of course.

I got into my car and drove to Bella's house, the familiar black SUV following behind me.

When I pulled up, I noticed Orlov sitting in the driver's seat.

I got out and walked over.

“Good evening, Orlov.”

He turned his head toward me.

“Good evening, Miss Kareva.”

I smiled.

He barely reacted.

Orlov was always like that. Professional, serious, and almost impossible to read.

“I'll be staying at Bella's tonight.”

“I understand.”

I waited.

He didn't say anything else.

I frowned.

“That's it?”

He looked at me.

“What else would you like me to say, Miss Kareva?”

I almost laughed.

“Nothing.”

I turned toward Bella's house, then stopped.

“Oh, and I already told my father.”

That finally got a reaction.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“You informed Mr. Kareva?”

“Yes.”

Technically, I had.

I had told my father I was going to Bella's.

I just hadn't told him I planned on leaving later.

Or that I had no intention of spending the night there.

Orlov studied me for a moment.

“Very well.”

I smiled.

“Thank you.”

He gave me a small nod.

“Good night, Miss Kareva.”

“Good night, Orlov.”

I turned and walked toward the house.

The moment Bella opened the door, she looked at me suspiciously.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing.”

“You're lying.”

“I told him I'm staying here.”

Bella folded her arms.

“And he just believed you?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what?”

“I told him I already told my father.”

She stared at me.

“Did you?”

“Technically.”

“Ali.”

“What?”

“That is not how the word technically works.”

I laughed.

“Relax. He's not going to drag me home.”

“You're very confident for someone whose entire plan depends on a man deciding not to call your father.”

“He wants to keep his job.”

Bella stared at me for a second.

“That's actually a fair point.”

“I know.”

She shook her head.

“Come inside before I change my mind.”

I stepped inside.

A few minutes later, a car pulled up outside.

Irina.

She walked through the door looking like she had stepped straight out of a fashion magazine.

She wore a stylish top with a short skirt and long black leather boots that reached almost to her knees. Her hair was perfectly styled, and the little bag hanging from her shoulder looked expensive enough to make me nervous.

She stopped in front of me.

“Well?”

I stared at her.

“You look like you actually belong at a club.”

She smiled.

“Because I do.”

I looked down at myself.

Suddenly, my plan didn't seem quite as brilliant as it had earlier.

Irina noticed.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're having second thoughts.”

“No.”

She raised an eyebrow.

I sighed.

“Maybe a little.”

Bella walked into the room wearing a short spaghetti-strap dress with heels and a small shoulder bag.

She looked between Irina and me.

“What's wrong?”

“She thinks she can't do it,” Irina said.

“I didn't say that.”

“You didn't have to.”

Bella smiled.

“Ali, you look fine.”

“Fine?”

“Very fine.”

“That doesn't sound reassuring.”

Irina laughed.

“You're overthinking it.”

I looked down at the outfit they'd chosen for me.

It was nothing like what I normally wore.

It was beautiful, but I felt like I was wearing someone else's clothes.

I took a slow breath.

“That is kind of the point.”

Bella nodded.

“Exactly.”

“I just feel ridiculous.”

“You're supposed to look different tonight,” Irina said. “That's literally the whole plan.”

“I know.”

“Then stop thinking about it.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Irina smiled.

“Because I'm good at this.”

Bella snorted.

“She has been waiting eighteen years to say that.”

Irina turned toward her.

“It's my birthday. Let me enjoy it.”

I laughed despite myself.

Maybe I could actually do this.

Irina helped me finish my makeup, making a few final adjustments before stepping back.

“There.”

I looked at myself in the mirror.

For a moment, I barely recognized the girl staring back at me.

“You look beautiful,” Bella said.