"YOU?"

The startled exclamation didn't come from Lillie's side of the table, but from the two Trilled Phantom leaders instead.

​​

"I knew it!" The eighteen-year-old boy said, mostly to himself, as he pumped his fist in triumph.

"Wait, you knew? How?!" The girl demanded vehemently.

"I had my suspicion."

Lillie was too shock that no words were forming in her mouth even though she desperately wanted to say something.

On her left, she felt Ethan shaking. But from what, exactly? It's hard to distinguish.

The Elders, however, might be gaping behind their masks.

Of all the people...why did it have to be them?

"So that's why you were upset when I investigated Lillie Bai; she's your sister! Do you have any idea what this means for us, Gab?"

"Well done figuring that out, Sherlock. And care to enlighten me, Feifei? What would it mean for us?"

"You're my boyfriend! And I've been flirting with Daunting Spirit for years before dating you! Does this mean you like me better as Yifei than Thrill Seeker?!"

Gabriel, her dear brother, spluttered. "Now is not the time to talk about our relationship, Feifei!"

"You better give me a reasonable explanation, mister."

The now-confirmed couple continues to bicker with one another, blissfully unaware of the inner pandemonium they've caused among the people across the table.

"You two..." Lillie muttered as she let out a deep, tired breath—which was left unheard by the bickering couple, too busy to notice the restless stares they're being subjected to.

Her younger brother and Ethan's younger sister have been going around the Underworld for years...from right under their noses. This is an embarrassment to her name and status as one of the most influential mafia organization in the Underworld!

She was supposed to be keeping a close eye on her family. How did Gabriel manage to slip out of her radar?

According to the data she'd gathered about Daunting Spirit, his earliest record of him showing the intention of joining the Underworld was when he was fourteen.

Just a year after the Bai family was invaded and attacked at their weakened state by assailants hired by enemies who were eyeing the Empire and their family's wealth.

He started by asking the resident street gangsters of their city for a fistfight and coming out as a winner. This became a routine for him until he gets stronger.

The stronger he gets, the more he searches for stronger opponents. And as a result, the deeper he finds himself affiliated with the Underworld.

Fourteen...younger than Lillie when she joined the Underworld. Gabriel was barely a teenager at that time when he went off to the dark society alone.

It was her who taught him how to fight, how to protect himself. After the attack in their household, she and her parents worry about his safety.

She didn't anticipate the probability of him using what he'd learned from her as his stepping stone to achieving what he has today.

Conflicted, she's not sure whether she'll feel proud or saddened. Probably both, maybe it's leaning more on the saddened part.

Lillie felt like she'd failed as an elder sister. She failed to see through her brother's mask, his secret identity. She was so busy with the Empire and White Bird that she neglected her little brother and didn't properly see through his growth.

And Li Yifei, her future sister-in-law and Ethan's only sister. She'd discovered that Thrill Seeker was quite notorious at some cities for her tendencies of picking fights with the top-dog gangsters of said cities to claim their territory and spread her name.

She doesn't care whose foot she steps on, because the thrill is all that she wants. An adrenaline junkie and a suicidal idiot to boot. She's been offending big criminal groups left and right without regard for her safety.

Turns out, her reckless and hot-blooded behavior was something she inherited from her elder brother. She's definitely Ethan's sister, unconsciously following his footsteps.

Much to her surprise when she found out, her recklessness was palliated when she met Daunting Spirit and agreed to create their own group together—meaning she was much worse before that. The complete story of how and why, Lillie has yet to know.

Ethan must be experiencing the same internal conflict and self-blame as her. Yifei is her brother's princess, he dotes and pampers on her like any good elder brother would do.

Sigh, what troublesome siblings they have. Lillie and Ethan had their plates full with them.

These two are holding on to the I-want-to-be-like-big-brother-or-big-sister-when-I-grow-up promise pretty seriously that she's not sure if it's the universe pulling prank on her, or if these two are doing it on purpose.

Just look at how similar they are to them!

On the more serious note, Gabriel could've died by her hands. If he wasn't skilled enough to dodge the rain of bullets from her men, or if she asked Silent Death to slice his head off when he infiltrated the base...she could've killed her only brother, and consequently, her sister-in-law.

"The Bai family's young master and the Li family's young miss?" Red Raven, bless him for breaking the tension, guffawed as if he'd heard the funniest joke—which may be the case if you look at it from a different angle.

"How's that funny for you, Red Raven?" It was a serious question from her brother. His brows furrowed as he looked at Red Raven—who was pretending to wipe his tears off—funnily.

"Haha! This is rich! You two aren't pulling my leg, are you?"

Yifei scowled—where did this attitude come from? Where's that sweet girl she met, who smiles at her so sweetly, and loves her games? "You think we'll trouble ourselves to pretend to be someone else? For you to doubt our legitimacy, seems like you're not that good after all."

Red Raven's laughter stopped. "Why you little—"

Enyo held her boyfriend down. "Calm down." Ay, what a hypocrite she is.

Gabriel flicked his partner, now revealed to be none other than his girlfriend, on the forehead.

Yifei yelped in pain at the assault. "So it matters not whether I'm Thrill Seeker or Yifei, you still bully me!" She wailed and glared at him.

Gabriel just rolled his eyes at her theatrics. He's such a good boyfriend.

"So, all of you already know us?" He asked the esteemed Demons across the table.

Clearing her throat, Lillie replied, "Of course. It's not hard to, especially with how well-known your respective families are."

"Figures. Then this makes things easier to understand." Gabriel sighed. "Since we've accomplished our end of the deal, does this mean we're cool?"

"We will agree to whatever terms you have installed for us, as long as it wouldn't compromise our families' safety and reputation." Yifei narrowed her eyes at Lillie. "Not a word about our real identities escape this room."

"You have my word, Gabriel Bai, Li Yifei." Lillie unhesitatingly nodded in agreement. "First step is settled, let's proceed with the formal procedure."

"En. We've prepared the necessary paperwork that we ask you to look into." Yifei slid the folder over the table's smooth surface.

Lillie took the folder and put it aside. "Then we trouble you to do the same."