Slicing the pancake, I calmly put the fork inside my mouth and the pancakes' delicious taste dissolved in my taste-buds, leaving a savory and sweet taste behind. Although I may appear nonchalantly enjoying my breakfast but is well-aware of the eyes looking at me cautiously. I realized later when I stepped out of my room that how loud my screams were. The servants were staring at me strangely as I walked past them, even the little-man sitting beside me is looking at my eyes from time to time instead of eating his breakfast.

They all must be wondering why was I crying but might have assumed that because of the mother I lost a weak ago, therefore, no one asked me anything. Mother...I wish I could have spent time with her, but I know not everything can be mend, I have to live with this regret of neglecting my mother who did everything for me. Thinking of things I did to her, makes me feel shame to even think about meeting her.

Not wanting to let the foolish emotions once again take-over me, I decided to smile whenever I will think of my mother, she was a source of happiness and that's what she'll always be for me, her memories won't get tainted from my remorseful emotions.

"When will you resume your high-school?"

When I heard the question directed toward me, I raised my eyes to look at the person sitting in front of me, who was also eating his breakfast quietly & the only person who not once stared at me, Jackson Hale. His voice held warmth but his expressions are stern as always, he treated me good but we were never much familiar with each other, for him I was a disappointment but still the only way he had.

"About that...I'm planning on continuing with online school."

At my response, for the first time he looked at me, I held his gaze, making it clear that I'm serious. His black eyes scrutinized me, but I didn't flinch. Jackson's in his mid-thirties, the over-bearing kind of man he is, his tall-figure is sometimes threatening. Although he's handsome in mature ways, his stern gaze is enough to keep people in place. He was COO just a week ago, but now he is our guardian and CEO of Allgaier Corporation, we never had much interaction before, he probably knows me as a money-spending step-daughter of his friend.

As expected, he didn't ask for a reason but gave his suggestion, "That's good, I think you should join the company and learn about business."

That's how he has always been direct and straight-forward, his attitude irritated the hell out of me, he used to order me around and make me do things I didn't want. Because of this rigid character, he put everything into making me CEO before his death, hoping that I will understand but I didn't.

He's probably expecting any kind of reaction from me, but I merely nodded while eating my pancakes, "But I want you to teach me."

"Is there a reason you agreed so easily?"

"Aren't our reason the same?" I retorted and my gaze moved toward the little-man enjoying his delicious food without the care of the world. Jackson must have gotten an idea of my thought as he nodded reluctantly with a dubious look. Seeing his silent response I added, "But I do have a condition."

"What's it?"

"If in a year I meet your expectations, you have to make me CEO."

Hearing my words, the always indifferent Jackson was startled, his fork dropped from his hand and he stared at me with wide-eyes. I know my request might cause him to suspect me, that I'm behind the inheritance of Kai, but I don't want to prove my innocence to him, with time he'll realize my intentions so no point in wasting my explanations now.

Never expected to hear such words from a sixteen-year-old in front of him, he ridiculously asked, "A year? Do you even know the responsibility of the CEO of a billion-dollar company?"

"I don't. That's why I told you that I want to learn from you."

I can see conflict in Jackson's eyes, but I know because of his health, he'll have to make this gamble, "And what if you failed?"

"Then I'll try harder until I succeed. Till Kai comes of age, I'll take full responsibility for everything."

Hearing the determination in my words and seeing promise in my eyes, Jackson just stared at me. When I said everything, it was clear that I'm not just talking about the company but also Kai. He scratched his stubble beard and his gaze flickered toward Kai, who also -after hearing his name- was staring at me, I could feel his gaze from the side but didn't look at him.

"Tomorrow," After few minutes of silent staring, Jackson's stern voice resonated, he nodded toward me and continued, "Your a year start from tomorrow."

My lips curved in a subtle smile, "Okay."

After being done with breakfast, I was ascending stairs to go back to my room, feeling someone behind me I turned around to face Kai, standing at the end of the stair-case. With his face held high, it appears like he's trying to seem tall while staring at me with his narrowed eyes. Kai inherited most of his father's maturity and charm, he may be a child but I know he understands a lot of things, as expected from a smart being like him. But later he too wasn't able to control the darkness inside him from engulfing him, it may had became too much for him.

"I don't want you, I can take care of myself!"

He tried his best to sound stern but he still is a child, and how stern a childish voice could be. I just stared at him, his baby fat is visible but that isn't enough to hide the handsome features, which are now filled with apparent anger. He & I never had much of relation, I remember when I first came here. Kai was so excited to meet me, he yelled excitedly, 'I have a sister!' But I pushed him away hard on the ground, and rudely made him face the reality that I was not his sister, he was no one to me.

Kai's a proud child, he has sometimes egoistic issues, how could a rich heir not have these traits? So, when he saw me treating him like this, although six, he never again bothered himself with me and ignored me. He never called me his sister again, I don't know what happened just two hours ago that made him forget his arrogance and come into my room to console with big words. I guess my screams were so painful that even a child realized that.

I moved my focus toward the child in front of me, who was fuming, thinking that I'm ignoring him again but in fact, I'm at a loss of how to interact with him. A part of me is afraid that he'll ask things which probably he doesn't even know, shaking the ridiculous thought away I walked toward him.

Bending on one knee to reach his level, I raised my hand to tenderly pat his head and said to the child who is frozen after my unexpected action, "Do a good job at it, take good care of yourself, Okay? Don't disappoint me."

Saying this I stood up and smiled down at the boy staring at me with his wide-eyes and shocked-filled face. Turning around, I left the child standing there with different emotions passing through his face.