Episode 67

"What brings you here"

"What, can't your fiancee visit you?"

Ian gave a mocking smirk, Mari stood by the door completely expressionless.

There was a momentary silence before Mari stepped aside and let the boy in.

The mansion looked pretty much abandoned as usual. The empty rooms, the white cloth covering the furniture, yet there was no dust or cobwebs anymore; it appeared as she she had cleaned it since nobody was in the huge mansion but her.

He helped himself in and placed the snacks he brought with him on a table. She stood infront of him in a questioning manner, though she never said a word.

"It appears that I'm not welcome here" Ian did not look at her.

"Is there something, I can help with?" Mari said to which he stopped and turned to her.

"Do you know how they make kids between alphas?" Ian asked.

"What are you intending?" Mari asked being completely unfazed.

"Alpha marriages are always business marriages, they always have omega concubines to keep their generations going, that is the fate for you and me, we both play husband and wife while we keep side omegas for breeding" Ian shrugged.

"You speak as if omegas are animals" Mari spoke in a monotone.

"Aren't they? Don't worry I already have one in mind that I plan to breed" Ian sat against the table smirking.

"I see" Mari did not see much point in making a conversation out of this.

"I recently heard of an omega named Yuki, seems like she'd be perfect for this" Ian smirked, the word acted like a trigger for her and in a split second she came at Ian grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

"Stay away from her" Mari spoke fuming with rage.

"Why does it matter Kirihara Mari? She is only an omega and not even your fated one, as for your fated one, it appears someone else bred him but he was a complete failure"

Ian spoke maliciously, the next thing that happened wasn't much shocking. Mari slapped Ian.

Ian held the cheek that she had striked.

"You know what? You're right, there's an omega I'd like to breed too" Mari said "What do you think about the guy you met the other day? Alex? I suppose?" She spoke thoughtfully, Ian's eyes widened.

"And why do.. You presume I'd care?" Ian's voice almost cracked but he attempted to maintain his composure.

"I don't know but it appears that you do" Mari whispered "also appears you found out alot about me"

"I won't let evil people like you and Himari Aoi manipulate me any further" Ian stated with a strict expression.

"It also appears that you've mistaken my intent" Mari sighed "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Mari stepped forward upto Ian who backed away until he stood against the table.

"What do you mean?" Ian gulped, his heartbeat paced up as she neared in.

"Manipulate? You? You're not even a part of this, all I'm doing is solely for my brother" She spoke in a cold manner.

"You cannot fool me, I already know what you did to your brother" He was indeed mad, yet his face heated up for a different reason.

"I don't care whether you believe or not, you're simply a child stuck in this situation, saving you is my choice, you have no say in this" Mari spoke coldly

"Donot catch any feelings for me, donot have expectations from me, donot believe there's going to be anything between us, not even trust, I am a bad person, I'll break every inch of you apart, the only thing I can do is save you, after that your life is your own, do whatever you want"

He heard Mari loud and clear, yet his heart couldn't stop pounding, his face all heated up; by the time she backed away he was completely dazed.

"Go back and wait, I'll surely get you and your brother out of there, there's no need for anything else between us" Mari said.

"It's too late" Ian clenched his fists.

"What?" She asked but Ian did reply, he simply left.

Once he came out, he started running to clear off his mind, eventually tiring himself and taking a seat on a nearby bench.

Someone came by and sat near him.

"She makes me confused" Ian mumbled.

"How so?" Liliya sat nearby him.

"What I saw was horrific, she's no different from my father.. Yet I keep hoping that she'll make up some excuse, any excuse and prove me wrong" Ian clasped his own hands tightly.

"Is that why you went to see her? That maybe she could convince you to not help me?" Liliya asked.

"Why does it matter, she doesn't even want to convince me, I'm nobody for her" Ian smiled mockingly.

"And you think I'm supposed to take on that bull from you?" Liliya said but before Ian could react she grabbed his face by the jaws

"You ungrateful b**** I hate traitors the most, I'm freakin helping you and you're trying to stab me in the back? Do you know what I'm capable of doing to your brother? I'm not giving you a choice here"

She said, Ian was taken by shock though immediately he slapped her hand away.

"I almost forgot huh, you too are one of those disgusting people considering what you did to me, the only reason I'm tolerating you is because atleast I know your filthy nature while them I can't predict" Ian spoke spitefully.

"Ha, there's no point of you in not siding with me, with the evidence I have collected, I shall bring both Kirihara Mari and Himari Aoi down and by the end Alex won't be able to deny his fate, he's my fukin fated and he will have to kneel to me, you know my side is going to win no matter what, least you could do is win my favor so I can try and be nicer to your brother" Liliya laughed frantically.

"What are you going to do to Alex" Ian stood up with a huge frown on his face.

She got up and put her hand on Ian's cheek, running her thumb over his lips

"You don't want to know"

....................................

"A diary?"

"Yeah"

"I cannot really remember" Alex shook his head.

"You were too young, it's only natural" Zhuang said " even I don't remember everything from my childhood "

"You're saying that after the death of my mother, Raina Strauss went through our house for a diary?" Alex asked.

"She said she wanted to keep it as a memorial of her best friend Clara and had the maids search their house for it for over three days" Zhuang told.

"It is indeed weird to be obsessively looking for one specific thing as a keepsake and on top of it a diary" Alex said while playing catch with Adrian.

"She could have destroyed it or she could have kept it, but the main thing is that Raina Strauss was hiding something" Zhuang said.

"If she did keep it, then there's two possibilities, either it is still within the Strauss mansion or she passed it over to someone" Alex said.

"Who do you think she could pass it over to?"

"Ian Strauss"

....................................

"Is it the only way?"

Kei nodded. Akio sat holding his temples, rubbing them frequently. He stood up twice and circled around the living room.

"Is there really really really no other way?" Akio asked.

"If it's not her... It'll be someone else... Some other day..." Kei mumbled sitting on the couch.

"But why?! This doesn't need to be done! LET MARI GET WHAT SHE DESERVES!" Akio seemed completely mad, he raised his voice, though it startled Kei too.

He started sobbing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" Akio sat on his knees, trying to make Kei calm down.

"I'm... Scared.. I'm really... Scared... I don't know...how I'll do it... If I'll be able to do it..." Kei sobbed whilst shivering at the thought of it.

"Then don't do it, you don't have to go through this, let's us stop this before it starts..." Akio tried to convince him.

"Once I do this... I can never...use it...against.. Mari... I'll be...truly setting her free..by law..." Kei sobbed to the point of hicupping.

Akio grabbed at his hands, comforting him.

"But do you really think claiming that the videos are forged and making a defamation lawsuit would make people believe it? Even if you set her free by law, the world will still turn against Kirihara Mari and Aoi who covered for her, they will believe what they see not what you claim" Akio argued.

"What...other options do we have...?" Kei asked.

"Can't we just beat the shit out of this Kirihara Liliya and destroy what she got her hands on?" Akio said.

Kei couldn't help but smile after hearing this.

"Akio..san...hasn't changed..." He smiled.

"Stupid, I'm worried about you, even if I have to face a lawsuit, I'll handle it as long as you're safe" Akio said.

"I know...but...I don't...want that... Besides... Our daughters...need you.." Kei said, he was a bit calmer now.

"I'll talk to Aoi, I know she must have a way, she always does, she must, something other than this" Akio sounded desperate.

Kei reached his hand and placed it on Akio's lips making him quieten up.

He then leaned in and kissed at his own fingers that were pressing against Akio's lips.

"Akio...san...Marry me..."

....................................

"Ah finally!"

I almost screamed entering my own room and sat upon my bed feeling the softness of the mattress that I missed too much.

"Don't push yourself, you're only here because I convinced the doctor I'll keep extra care of you, you've only just gotten better" She said strictly.

"I know, I know, don't act like dad now" I was simply over the clouds over being able to get out of that place

"Besides this is the only place where I can heal, that hospital is covered in that sickening smell of sterilized air and medicines, here it's just your scent"

I was so cheerful that I almost muttered anything that came to my mouth, only realizing it after I had already said it.

I messed up! I peaked at her face from the corner of my eyes, there it is!

THERE IT IS!

"You think my scent is healing?" She said while literally sparkling, how the hell is she sparkling? What the...

"It's not bad.." I tried to cover my mistake.

I think in my previous life, I might have been killed for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time or something.

She just came at me locking her lips with mine, releasing all sorts of pheromones... Ah this feels so relaxing, she's doing it again...

She let her hand slip down.

"You can't... " I closed my legs tightly.

"If you say I can't, then I can't" She sighed moving her hand away.

"No I mean..." Why does she always make this hard for me? Why must she make me say it everytime? You idiotic woman, just do it! Not that I can say it directly. Ugh why do I always say shit that I regret later! I sat there struggling with my attempt at vocalizing what I wanted.

"I won't do it unless you give me verbal consent.. " she said teasingly rubbing my earlobe between her index finger and thumb.

"You're only doing it to embarass me even further" I protested.

"Then you better embarass yourself and ask, otherwise I can't do it" She spoke teasingly whilst looking all amused.

Ah this woman, she totally does this on purpose but come to think of it..is it really okay for us to be relaxed and happy like this?

"Aoi.." I grabbed her hand firmly.

"What is it, you look worried" She asked politely.

"That person whom you're up against, what if something happens? What if she does something really horrible? What if I lose you.. " I asked a bit frantically.

"I somewhat already know what she's going to do" She replied.

"What?" I was a bit shocked.

"She'll probably turn the world against me and Mari but the thing that scares me the most is Kei's condition" She had a worried face on.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"From here on, I'm worried it's going to be tougher for Kei" She said, yet it still sounded quite incomprehensible to me.

"I don't understand, what is she going to do? Is Kei san going to be in trouble?" I asked but she shook her head.

"Right now it really depends on those two..If they can prevent it from happening" She said.

"Those two? Who are you talking about?" I felt puzzled.

"It's a gamble that I'm making" She smiled.

"Huh?" not a word of hers made sense to me.

"Besides..." She laid me back holding my shoulders.

"Even if the world turns against me.." She kissed upon my lips "as long as I have you, I can do anything.. I can burn the world down" She had this look in her eyes, that sometimes made me tremble but at the same time, it was this fiery gaze of hers that captivated my heart.

I sat back up and straddled over her thighs kissing her myself.

"Is that your way of consenting?" She asked as I parted.

"I hate you" I mumbled turning my face away from her, feeling my cheeks all flushed up to her amusement.

She kissed under my ear and whispered something really annoying

"I love you too"