CHAPTER 6: WELCOME TO STERMYER

OLIVIA’S P.O.V

I woke up from my deep sleep with a gentle touch across my face. Looking around me, I couldn’t tell who it might have been. “Ah, good you are awake, we are about to land,” Keith said to me. “Is it morning already?” I asked, still in a sleepy mood, I yawned and stretched. “Finally we are home,” Austin said, he seemed relieved to be back. The plane began to land and I held on tightly to my seat, this is the part that always has me scared, I’m okay during take-off and while we are in the air but landing feels like crushing to me. “Scared?” Austin asked, a wicked smile on his face. I shook my head, agreeing with him. “Don’t worry, you are safe with me. I have to keep you alive, can’t have my 400 million Euro worth secretary dying before she can even start” this is the most words as well as the sweetest thing that he has said to me since we have met. Even during the time when we were discussing the terms of this deal, he spoke mostly to my father, my presence didn’t even seem to matter to him. I’m surprised that he even noticed that I’m scared but glad that he is starting to pay some kind of attention to me.

“Wow” I uttered to myself as I stepped out of the plane. “Welcome to Stermyer,” Keith said as I took in the beauty in front of me. Stermyer was nothing like I thought that it would be, it wasn’t some small little town in the middle of nowhere. It was more beautiful than words could describe. The houses were huge and modern, the grass was the greenest grass that I have ever seen and there was a breath-taking waterfall that poured into a crystal clear lake. There was not a spot of dirt or litter on any of the roads that we passed as we drove. The air seemed to be fresher than normal. In short, Stermyer is the paradise that everyone is looking for, but what I found as the most captivating thing about Stermyer was the palace that was on top of the hill.

“What do you think?” Keith asked. “It’s so beautiful, I don’t understand how this is not the number one holiday destination. Stermyer is truly a hidden gem” I said. “A hidden gem it is!” Austin interrupted our conversation with his dry tone. “No one is allowed to move in into Stermyer, hence everyone who lives here is those who were born in Stermyer. No one really moves out either hence we have a good population” Austin’s weird explanation had me a bit freaked out. Apart from its beauty what else does this town have that it is so scared of, it sounds like they have some kind of big secret. “What about tourists?” I asked. “No one is allowed in Stermyer” He answered. “Who made that rule though? Money could have been pouring in, due to the beauty that Stermyer has, this will be everyone’s favorite tourist destination” I said. “Every family in Stermyer has their own business. Stermyer doesn’t need any more money and as for that person who made the rule…it was me! I made that rule!” he glared at me with his striking Egyptian blue eyes. “You made that rule? But why didn’t you want to share all of this beauty with the world?” I asked. “Because humans destroy everything, just look at what you pathetic humans have done to the rest of the world. You should be grateful that you actually get to see Stermyer and reside in it so stop annoying me with your dumb questions. You are a curious little kitten and you are going to get yourself into a lot of trouble one day” he warned, more like threatened. His harsh tone made me feel terrible inside, he talks as if he is not human…what does he think he is a God or something? One thing for sure is that he is very arrogant. “I’m sorry, I am grateful and I didn’t mean to annoy you” I apologized not because I was genuinely sorry but because I didn’t want to get on his bad side, I decided to keep quiet for the rest of the ride, this arrogant fool does not deserve my company.

“Stermytina,” I said out loud, reading the name that was on the gate as it opened for us to enter. “The palace,” I said, astonished, as we drove closer and closer to it. “Palace? What palace? This is our house. This is where we lived and where you will also be living as well now” Jake said. How rich were these people to have their property named…that too after the town that it is situated in. “This is the house that you live in” I repeated, amazed by its beauty with glass walls and Greek features, to top it all off it had a view of the entire town including the waterfall. “Are you going to stand outside and look at the house or are you going to come in?” Austin asked rudely, making me quickly pick up my bag and follow behind me.

The house was massive, 2 times the size of my father’s house. At least I was employed as his secretary and not a servant in this big house, I would have probably died with all of the work that there is to do, not to mention that this house is spotless. Just then a middle-aged woman with a soft smile came to greet us, followed by a dozen of young girls, dressed in black and white maid dresses. They stood on either side of us, forming a guard of honor, opposite the girls stood the men. All of them looked like they were under 50 and above 20…maybe there is an age restriction for working as a servant for the Hunters, I thought to myself. The girls and men seemed neat but they looked tired, I noticed that the girls each had a number on their aprons whereas the guys had a number on their shirt pockets. Are they known by numbers and not names? I wondered to myself. Some of them had marks on their hands and visible skin as if they were abused, this made my heart cringe. I also noticed that they all stood with their hands behind their backs, the eyes to the floor…they were not allowed to make direct eye contact with the Hunter brothers. These people were kept more like slaves and not servants, that is no way to treat someone. I come from a rich background as well, we had servants too but my mother would not hesitate to reprimand me or ground me if I dared to disrespect any of our servants.

“Good evening, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Keith and Mr. Jake” the middle-aged lady greeted, she didn’t seem to have any problem with making eye contact with them, I wonder what makes her so special. “Good evening” Keith and Jake greeted in unison and went up the stairs. “How was your trip, Sir?” she asked Austin, the only brother who remained. “Eh, it was eventful,” he said, looking at me. He seemed a lot more calm and even a bit more jovial…maybe he got homesick or something and he isn’t really a rude person. “Oh okay,” the lady said, sharing a smile with me, which I returned. “Okay, so let’s get cracking. My parents are coming over for dinner. Jake’s mate Laura would also be joining us. I want all my clothes deep cleaned. My Giorgio Armani suite needs to be steam ironed and ready for tomorrow.” He was cut off. “I’m sorry Sir, but which Giorgio Armani suit are you referring to?” Grace asked. “The black one” he answered. “With the stripes?” she asked. “No the plain black one,” he said but she still looked confused. “The black suede black Giorgio Armani suit,” he said clearing up the confusion, like how many name-branded suits does this guy even own? “Ask the ladies in the kitchen to prepare a variety for Lunch because I’m not sure what this one eats,” he said referring to me as if I was an alien or something. “Set her up in the room next to mine, go through all the rules of Stermytina with her and find her an appropriate dress to wear for dinner tonight with my parents” he continued with his list as he walked up the stairs.

“Hi Madam, I’m Grace,” said the middle-aged woman. “Hi, I’m Olivia but you can call me Liv,” I said, shaking her hand. “Madam” she corrected me. “Liv” I corrected her, a bit of uncomfortable tension between us. “Very well, would you kindly follow me up to your new room,” she said, clearly she was not going to listen to me and call me ‘Liv’. “The rules of Stermytina are simple but if they are broken then the consequences will be severe” she warned. “What are the rules?” I asked, following behind her, my bag following behind me as I rolled it along. “Be down for breakfast by 8 am, Lunch is at 1 pm and dinner is at 6, if you are late you miss the meal. No heels on the marble floors. You are not allowed to enter the kitchen. You are not allowed to disturb Mr. Austin Hunter when he is in his study. If you have to go anywhere you have to ask the chauffeur to take you there. You cannot at any point leave the gates without informing me or the Hunters. You have to be home at 8 pm and most importantly DO NOT EVER FORGET YOUR TRACKING DEVICE!” she said in a stern voice, stopping in front of a double white oak door. “Tracking device?” I asked. “Yes, I would bring it to you soon,” she said. “I have to wear a tracking device?” I asked astonished. “Unless you don’t want to live. Mr. Hunter can be a very dangerous man. I think that you understand. I would let you settle in now” she said, walking away. “Mr. Hunter? Which Hunter? Austin Hunter?” I called after her but she ignored me.

Walking into my room, I was amazed at how spacious it was. I didn’t think that I would be living in such luxury when I was told that I will be employed as a secretary but this room was as big as the room that I had back in New York, the only thing it was better, I had my own en-suite, television, heater and something that I always wanted … a walk-in closet! I think I would like it here in Stermyer, after all, I am living in Stermytina, the house of one of the wealthiest families in the world.