Rebuild A Caring Family

It was a long forty-five minutes by the time Mimi arrived in front of EMIRI in Shen Jue's car. Without as much as saying a word to him, Mimi hopped out of the car.

She was walking to the building when her phone buzzed. Looking down, Mimi noticed two missed messages. Both from Alec.

Mimi sighed. The moment she shifts her gaze, she takes note of the familiar blond-haired man standing in front of the building. Alec, who currently had his head lowered to stare down at his phone, sensed someone's gaze and lift his head.

"Mimi! What took you—"

Alec had been about to rush to his sister when he suddenly caught sight of the figure behind her.

It was Shen Jue!

Alec was shocked and not especially pleased to see the man with his sister. Without a second thought, he strode hastily to Mimi and pulled her toward him.

"What are you doing here?" The venom in his voice was clear.

Mimi's eyes couldn't help but widen to the sound of her brother's harsh tone. She had never seen such an aggressive attitude from Alec.

From what she always remembered, Alec hardly ever raised his voice or expressed hostility to someone. She had assumed he was too soft to act in such a way.

Mimi was completely speechless from this turn of events.

Not at all offended by Alec's cold behavior, the corner of Shen Jue's mouth raised a little in the semblance of a smile.

"I was just chaperoning the little one over to meet you."

Alec scoffed as his eyes flashed a hint of cold intent. "She can call a driver. She doesn't need your assistance."

And what was with that weird nickname he was calling her?! Alec's expression grew colder.

"Ah, but the little one agreed to have me drive her. Didn't you?" Shen Jue's smiling eyes fixed on the girl held tightly in Alec's hold.

Alec looked down with a furrow in his brow and asked, "Mimi, is that true?"

Mimi blinked her eyes before releasing a heavy sigh.

"He's right. However, it was only because I was too lazy to call a car to drive me here. So, don't get any wrong ideas."

As Alec listened to her response he was both upset and pleased with her attitude toward Shen Jue. Unable to contain, Alec flashed a smug smirk in the man's direction only to see his intense gaze on his sister.

Alec was unhappy with Shen Jue's stare, so his tone dipped a few degrees.

"Mimi, let's go inside."

Mimi, not sensing the strange atmosphere, nodded her head. Alec maintained his grip on his sister's hand while escorting her inside the restaurant. Before leaving, he swept his sharp glare to look at Shen Jue.

Meanwhile, as if he didn't feel the blond man's chilling gaze, Shen Jue kept his eyes fixed on the girl in his arms until she was no longer seen. When the two siblings left, he released a soft sigh and gently smiled to himself.

…

Inside EMIRI.

Mimi calmly flipped through the menu, studying the various dessert options along with milk teas. While doing so, she ignored the burning and fixed look of the man across from her. Alec continued to stare at Mimi with crossed arms, his lips stiffened in a straight line.

After realizing the girl was going to continue to ignore him, he broke the silence.

"What were you doing with Shen Jue?"

Mimi was silent as her eyes fixed on the apple cinnamon crepes option on the menu.

After a while, she finally opened her mouth to say, "I'm ordering the apple crepes, oolong milk tea, and a side of greens. What about you, big brother?"

Alec was dumbfounded. Seeing Mimi blink calmly at him without a change in expression, caused him to feel a little angry.

He froze for a moment before gritting his teeth. "Mimi…"

"Hmm? You don't want anything? Fine, then I'll order without you." Mimi signaled for the waitress waiting on the side.

While Mimi told the waitress her order, Alec's face was tense as the corner of his mouth tugged downwards.

When the waitress left to pass her order, Mimi shifted her eyes to glance at Alec. The dim look in his blue eyes, the gloomy aura around him, the furrowed brows and the thin line formed by his lips; these signs were all a loud declaration that he wasn't happy.

However, that didn't matter to her.

Mimi casually rested her chin in her palm, as she stared at Alec with her head tilted.

"Isn't there something you have to say to me?"

Alec's features were cast in a stiff expression, and his lips were pressed together. The corners of his lips tugged into a pout. He turned his gaze away and refused to speak.

Seeing the way Alec was trying hard to put up with a struggle, Mimi's mouth then curled up into a chilling smile.

"Well, since you have nothing to say to me then I suppose I'll just take my food to go."

As Mimi stood up from her chair Alec's eyes flashed a trace of alarm.

"All right! All right, I'll say it! Just sit down!"

Mimi hid back a smile and sat comfortably back in her seat.

While his tone remained cold, it just so slightly thawed as he said, "For what I said last time…I'm sorry. I had no right to say those things about you when I am unaware of the situation."

Alec raised his gaze to stare directly at Mimi. His tone now carried a trace of warmth as he said, "I am also sorry for not realizing how hurt you were over Emily's passing. I failed to act as a good brother to you. However, I want to make it up to you by helping you pass through what you're bearing. I want you to know I will always be here for you."

Mimi sat calmly in her spot, her gaze looking at the figure across from her. Her eyes were clear as water but more apathetic than ice.

Her rosy lips pressed into a grim smile, words falling from her mouth like icicles. "Is that your apology? If so, then I only accept half of it, the rest is unnecessary."

Alec remained stunned for a second before recovering his senses.

"Mimi, I'm serious. I will be there for you. I know I lacked the support for you in the past, but this time I swear I will always be there for you and help you." He explained hastily.

Mimi maintained her indifferent gaze and did not seem to be affected in the least by his words. Noticing how the girl was silent, Alec experienced the slightest bit of alarm.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the waitress returned with Mimi's order.

Mimi delivered a courteous smile to the waitress before grabbing a packet of sugar and pouring it into her tea.

"I know you have concerns regarding my relationship with Shen Jue, however, I am well aware of the risks of colliding with him. He's a vain, manipulative scumbag who happened to be engaged to my sister. Truthfully, I don't even trust him." Mimi slowly spoke, her cold voice had a trace of pride and displeasure.

Stirring the sugar in her milk tea, Mimi's cold gaze focused on her brother.

"However, because he's like that, he's the only one who can help me. Therefore, I don't need you to fulfill the role of a caring brother. That's not the reason I chose to support and get out of that hellhole of a family. I don't need to rebuild a new caring family. I only need to take revenge on the one that was destroyed."

Although her voice was soft, her tone was steady; as if the words she was saying were nothing but a casual explanation. Surprise leaked out from Alec's gaze. He hadn't expected his sister's words to be so cold and hurtful.

To her was he nothing but a pawn?

With this thought, Alec struggled to suppress the sorrowful agony in his heart. He drew in a deep breath and raised his head awash in sadness, his bloodshot eyes looking straight at Mimi.

"Mimi…do you even care about me?"

Did she even consider him as her brother?

Mimi looked at him, her eyes somewhat empty. Suddenly, she smiled sadly, but she did not utter a word. Alec sat frozen at the table, his hands clenched into fists by his sides and his lips pressed together in a thin, white line.

He suddenly smiled bitterly, feeling as if his actions were like shooting himself in the foot. He stood up from his seat and took out a few bills from his wallet as he placed them on the table.

"You say you despise dad the most," Alec's voice was slightly hoarse. "But you're just like him."

After Alec spoke, he turned his back and left the girl in the private room. Left alone, Mimi's violet eyes stared into the table before her.

She propped her head on her hand as if she was deep in thought. Her head lowered slightly, and her gaze landed on apple crepes on the table.

It was cold now.

Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes. Her eyelashes fanned out like butterfly wings as they rested over her closed eyelids. The moment she opened her eyes again, they were as bright and clear as stars.

The sound of soft laughter sounded through the room.

"Liar."