“What are you doing here?” An icy cold voice reverberated inside the room.

In front of the owner of the voice were two women, both sitting at the opposite side from each other on the couch. One has a shoulder-length blonde hair with beautiful sky-blue eyes. She was drinking a cup of tea elegantly with an amiable but respectful expression.

The other one was a middle-aged woman in her late thirties to early forties. She had black hair, pencil-like eyebrows, elegantly shaped nose and kissable red lips. She had brown colored pupils and her movements were elegant, clearly showing her high background. On her lap was a white colored cat with black strips akin to that of a tiger.

“Layla, come sit and join us,” The blonde haired girl called out and invited the newly arrived woman.

It was Layla Bando, Allen’s big sister. And the other party was also extremely related to Allen, the Mafia Princess; Mia Bianchi.

“I said, Mia what is that woman doing here?!” Layla asked angrily as she pointed at the other woman.

“Is that how you greet your mother, Judith?” The woman ignored Layla’s attitude and asked while putting the cup back to the table.

“Mother?!” Layla snorted. “Ha! I don’t remember any person that we can still call Mother! Don’t use that title anymore… and please give me a favor, don’t ever use that name. I am Layla, Layla Bando, Allen’s only family and it’s unfortunate to say this but our parents are long been dead! I only have Allen and Allen has me for a family.”

“How rebellious…” The woman smiled. “You still haven’t changed even a bit, my dear Judith,~”

Layla snorted in disgust for being called dear.

“You took my three-year-old son away from me, stole some money, packed your things and left. Don’t you think you owe me some explanation?” The woman was still smiling but her eyes narrowed and her voice turned cold.

“… …” Layla didn’t answer and instead glared hatefully at her mother.

“We tried looking for you but we never found even the smallest clue of your whereabouts. Who would have expected a 12 years old girl along with his 3 years old little brother has the way to change their names and live a completely silent life? You even erased the smallest clue that might be found… even being a genius has its limits… you know?”

“… …”

“I guess you got that from me.” The woman who called herself Layla and Allen’s mother concluded with a ‘No big deal, it’s just a fact’ tone of voice. Shamelessly labeling herself a Genius.

“If not because of Miss Mia here, I might not be able to see my beloved son… oh, poor me…” The woman said as she wiped the corner of her eyes with a napkin. “I’m really grateful, Miss Mia Bianchi…”

“Mia! How could you-!?”

Mia raised the teacup and dink, completely ignoring the two women heated argument. She then shot the woman in front of her, a glance.

“Oh, please I never intend to do that…” Mia said softly. “Don’t you mean, you followed my trace and counter-investigate me? Mrs. Aemie Villaflores… just because I was investigating a youth’s mysterious past, you immediately assumed something was suspicious and managed to reach a realization…?”

“You sure are extremely terrifying… I guess your claim as being a genius was not unfounded.” Mia retorted.

“Ho~” Aemie’s face has still the usual smile as if she wasn’t perturbed by Mia’s words. “I’m actually not certain and I never expected for my long lost children who I thought I would never find again in this lifetime would be involved in this. I just want to know who has the gall to try and investigate our family – though,” Her head turned towards Layla. “The moment I saw a picture of you which happened to have this rebellious child’s face on it, even if she became old and decrepit, I would certainly recognize my own daughter~”

“That just what mothers are…” Aemie’s face turned solemn and then gentle as she asked, “How’s my son?”

“You don’t have the right to call Allen your son?!!” Layla burst in anger.

Seeing Layla’s out-of-character behavior, Mia couldn’t help but be a little surprised. What is the reason why Layla took Allen away and left their family?

From various investigations, Mia somehow knows a bit but it’s not enough to know the truth of the matter.

At that time Layla was just around 11 - 12 years old when she took Allen away from their family, changed their names to new ones and lived in that kind of life. Not telling anything to her little brother while acting as his guardian all these time.

She really can’t fathom how a young girl that can still be considered a child did all that by herself. It’s very inconceivable!

“Cris will always be my son, Judith!” Aemie’s countenance changed and her smile disappeared from her face. “Do you know what I felt when I lost you and Cris? I was almost gone insane looking for you! Never a day pass that I never thought of you! Not a day in these 14 years!!”

“Just because of your prank, you took my son away from me!!?” Aemie’s voice rose as she started shouting. “Is that acceptable!?”

The white cat on her lap jumps away and landed on the ground; suddenly it became bigger until it becomes a huge white tiger with saber-like fangs.

A saber tiger… and a mutated one at that… Mia was surprised by the monster’s appearance.

Grrrr!!

It started growling at Layla. However, besides Layla, there was also a monster… electric sparks started appearing around it as it stepped forward, seemingly protecting Layla.

It was the Sigbin, Allen’s tamed beast.

“Don’t give me that!! When did you treat us as your children? Together with that man! You saw as nothing but tools for your wealth!!”

“What are you saying?! I never--”

Layla snorted. “I have obeyed yours and that man’s every whims ever since I was little, however, I can’t let you use even Allen just for your own selfishness! “

“… …”

“Just because he is a boy, just because he will inherit the company in the future, just because of all nonsensical reasons you can make my little brother’s life difficult!? Don’t make me laugh!!”

“… …”

“It was extremely hard for me, studying, excelling at everything, no time to play, socialize with some friends… that’s why I know how hard that kind of life was.” Tears started flowing from her eyes. A pained expression appeared on her face. “You know what? Every night, after his studying from his strict tutors, he would come to me and cry. But he wouldn’t do that in front of you because he was scared that you will get angry…”

“When I told you that Allen wasn’t happy with it… do you remember what you told me at that time?”

“!?”

“You said, ‘Sometimes Happiness can’t always be held in our hands. We have duty and obligations to fulfill and Cris must learn it beforehand… he is carrying a great responsibility! You cannot spoil him and ruin him! In any case, when he will stand at the top in the future, he will get everything he wanted and he will become happy!’ while saying that, you have that crazed look in your face that I become terrified of what might happen to my brother…”

“But that’s – what I had said wasn’t wrong!”

“Wrong? What do you know about right or wrong?!” Layla cried out. “I still endured and tried covering the affection and happiness he had wanted by giving him my time and love. But then you did it again…”

“You actually gave him an arranged marriage even though he was still a 3 years old child!?” Layla laughs maniacally while tears were flowing on her cheeks. “He’s still a boy for heaven’s sake! With all his suffering, at least let him choose who he will marry in the future!”

Layla suddenly snorted. “Besides, as if I will agree for him to marry someone I haven’t even met before? Who knows what kind of person she was!!”

While listening, Mia stood up and poured a tea on the cup and gave it to Layla.

“Thanks, “ Layla stop and receive the cup, drink it and continued, “And so, because of that, I carefully planned everything… I hired some people outside to make our new fake identity. With some of the family’s connection and some money, it was a bit easy… so I took Allen and run away from that birdcage of a house!”

“… …”

“At first, it was extremely hard… I thought of returning sometimes but I still persevered. The only one he can rely on is me… his one and only sister!”

“Then, an unfortunate accident happened or maybe fortunate instead… When we became stowaways to leave the country; the ship that was carrying us had an accident. We fell into the sea, but still, I tried protecting Allen however, his head was hit by one of the cargos. I panicked and I almost went crazy, regretting my foolishness but thankfully, a fellow old Filipino saved us, took us with them and in the end after telling some story which I, of course, made up, we are adopted by an old man who was living alone… he was extremely good to us, treated us like his real children but years later he passed away. And so, once again we were left alone.” Layla narrated as she sat beside Mia.

“Still, one thing is fortunate. Due to that accident, Allen lost his memories, those painful memories were forgotten and I welcomed it! It feels as if we really have a new life, new identity… For me, Allen doesn’t need to remember those worthless memories…”

Is she for real?! The two other women inside the room somehow thought the same thing while looking at Layla. What’s with that movie like setting?

Still, an arranged marriage in this day and age? Even her family didn’t have that kind of exciting event… Mia mused inwardly.

However, to think Allen has a drama-like life… A secret successor of an esteemed family…

Mia thought about Layla’s untimely death in their previous life. That was the reason why even though Allen had become extremely well-known in the entire world, he had never learned the truth of his identity…

And without her curiosity about her beloved’s identity which made her wanted to know everything about him, she would never stumble upon such matter… well, if not for some part of their background history which I find suspicious, especially Layla’s inconsistent information from her work’s resume, I wouldn’t even think about it…

Then she digs and digs, even to the point of using a Superhuman’s power secretly at Layla; [ Psychometry ] which her mother possessed. She couldn't rely on government records since no matter how much she looked she wouldn’t find it again now that most places had been raided by monsters. Thus, she has no choice but to use such crude way of learning the truth.

Just like what they say, even if Curiosity kills the cat, it’s the instinct to open an unknown mysterious box that might hold something inside…

So she did it… and she actually found something unbelievable. Even her mother, Xia Yi couldn’t believe it!