The Cave

As Skylar and Anita ventured deeper into the cave, Skylar couldn't help but be surprised and impressed by the interior.

The cave was nothing like she expected. It resembled more of a luxurious vacation resort than a cave. A mini waterfall, seemingly natural, cascaded gracefully into a pool with two distinct colors. One side of the pool was a cold sea-blue, while the other was a warm ocean-blue, creating a captivating marine ambiance. Two beach chairs were placed conveniently for relaxation by the pool.

Their journey led them to a bedroom, featuring a king-sized bed and a beautiful coffee table set beside a glass panel that offered a breathtaking view of Country M's cityscape.

Finally, they arrived in the living room of the cave, adorned wiith three sets of stunning customized Italian sofas. Side tables with elegant flower pots adorned each end, and a substantial bookshelf showcased an assortment of books organized meticulously by category and structure.

Skylar was genuinely impressed by Anita's impeccable sense of design and taste. Despite her admiration, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for the woman, knowing the husband she had.

Anita smiled warmly at Skylar and invited her to sit, saying, "Please, take a seat so that I can explain everything."

Skylar, however, maintained a cold demeanor and inquired, "Why did you bring me here?"

Anita was taken aback by the girl's expression but continued with her smile intact. "Actually, this place is co-owned by me and my childhood best friend. We've kept it a secret, but since you're her daughter, I didn't see anything wrong with showing it to you."

Skylar couldn't contain her shock upon hearing that her mother was friends with Anita.

"Wait, what?!" Skylar exclaimed, stunned by the revelation.

Anita, her expression now serious, attempted to proceed, but Skylar interrupted her with a sharp tone, demanding answers. "Mrs. Tang, just tell me how you knew my mother and what led you to betray her by marrying Daniel Tang."

Anita was momentarily stunned by Skylar's reaction before she let out a bitter laugh. "Actually, your mom was the one who helped me get married to Daniel Tang. To be honest, I was so blinded by my love for Denial that I never once questioned his sinister intentions towards Luna. I foolishly betrayed my friend and became pregnant with his child just because I wanted to be his wife. I left your uncle because of some foolish, childish love for Daniel. Now, I realize that he never truly wanted me. Luna was gone, and Joel... well, he ended up alone. His wife died giving birth to their son, Eric, and now he's a single parent to a fifteen-year-old boy."

Skylar Xia cut her off, saying, "I don't care about Uncle Joel's relationship or my cousin Eric. How am I supposed to believe whether you were my mother's friend or not?"

Anita calmly rose from her seat and retrieved a silver-colored book from the shelf. She handed it to Skylar Xia and said, "I think this will prove that we were friends."

Skylar took the book, thinking it might be an ordinary document. However, when she opened it, she found an album filled with old pictures. Among them were her mother's childhood photos with Anita and many more. As she flippped through the album, she couldn't hold back her tears. A particular picture showed her mother and Anita holding Skylar and Lila as babies. It looked authentic and moved Skylar to tears. She closed the album and wiped away her tears, asking in a husky voice, "Tell me, Mrs. Tang, how does your relationship with my mom connect to why Daniel Tang is after Lila?"

Anita approached Skylar, holding her hands, and explained bitterly, "Skylar, Lila wasn't the primary target; it was Kevin Mar."

Skylar looked surprised and asked, "I don't understand, Mrs. Tang."

Anita sighed and clarified, "Daniel is a Mar, and he seeks revenge for what they did to him in the past. He has a hideout where he trains and assigns bizarre nicknames to those he wants to harm, like Skalet, Justilia, Kenia, and even my son Maxia. But I don't know who Purmilia is."

Skylar nodded, putting the pieces together. "So, he's really Dentinia. I knew it. Thank you so much for sharing this. Can you tell me where this hideout is?"

Anita agreed, "Sure, but not now. I'd like you to go there once your sister and Kevin are feeling better. For now, return to the hospital; they might need you."

"Alright, then. Thank you, Mrs. Tang. We'll meet up later. Farewell," Skylar Xia said before leaving Malia Mountain.

.....

Back at a quiet and uncrowded coffee shop, Wang Xia and Joel Gomez were seated at a corner table, enjoying their breakfast in a serene atmosphere. Joel had chosen this place because he thought Wang Xia would appreciate its ambiance, and he was right. Wang Xia already felt quite comfortable there.

Joel Gomez, who was living in Country M, appreciated this coffee shop as an ideal spot for business lunches. So, he had invited Wang Xia, and it seemed like a good choice.

Throughout their meal, Joel Gomez discussed the details of the recent accident that had occurred two days ago. He appeared genuinely concerned and serious as he explained Daniel Tang's connection to the Mar family.

"Wang, I still don't understand why Daniel left home back then, but I believe there must be a solid reason for all of this. Right now, Lila and Kevin Mar's lives are in danger if they don't wake up from their coma. Besides, where is Feng Ting? He mentioned having something important to tell us," Joel inquired.

Wang Xia, sipping his coffee, replied in a nonchalant yet calm manner, "Do you know if anyone other than Feng Ting knows we're here right now?"

Joel Gomez shook his head but was about to respond when a voice came from behind them. It was Feng Ting.

"I am really sorry for delaying your time, Master Xia and Master Gomez," Feng Ting said apologetically and respectfully.

Joel Gomez greeted him warmly, offering him a seat, "CEO Feng, I thought you might not make it. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you, Master Gomez," Feng Ting repliied, taking a seat.

Wang Xia, his curiosity piqued, questioned Feng Ting, "So, what is it you want to tell us, young man?"

Feng Ting turned serious and said, "Master Xia, Master Gomez, I've been conducting an investigation along with my team regarding the accident. We've come across someone very suspicious, but we can't determine their exact identity."

Joel Gomez, with a creased forehead, asked, "I don't quite understand. Are you suggesting there's another person, aside from Daniel Tang, who is against the Mar family and us?"

Feng Ting clarified, "Actually, based on our findings, I don't think this person poses an immediate threat. Furthermore, this individual actually aided Kevin and Lila in surviving the accident. However, the frustrating part is that we can't uncover anything about their identity."

Wang Xia examined the file Feng Ting handed over and declared in a cold tone, "Feng Ting, I want you to dig deeper into this person's background before we make any moves against Daniel. For now, consider it a cold war."

Feng Ting nodded earnestly, "Understood, Master Xia. I won't let you down."

Joel Gomez, steering the conversation in a lighter direction, asked, "By the way, CEO Feng, when are you getting married?"

Caught off guard, Feng Ting replied, "Soon, I suppose. But I have a feeling you'll get married before I do, Master Gomez."

Joel Gomez chuckled, "That's quite cheesy."

The three of them continued their conversation, sharing laughter and discussing various topics, making the most of their time at the coffee shop.

....

Two weeks had passed since Skylar's meeting with Anita, and she had become deeply attached to the hospital. She constantly monitored Kevin and Lila's conditions and security due to the looming threat of Daniel Tang's sinister intentions. Unfortunately, neither of them showed any signs of improvement in their health.

Skylar was in Lila's ward, engrossed in reading a novel to her unconscious sister, when Lily Mar's voice, filled with a mix of nervousness, confusion, and excitement, interrupted her. Lily burst into the room, exclaiming, "Skylar, I think Kevin ge is awake! You have to come with me now!"

Lily didn't wait for a response but immediately whisked Skylar away to Kevin's ward.

As they entered Kevin's room, Skylar couldn't believe her eyes.

"Kevin ge!" Lily exclaimed and rushed forward to hug her brother.

"Hey, it hurts," Kevin winced in pain as his sister hugged him tightly.

"Oops, sorry," Lily said as she released him.

Kevin's eyes then shifted to Skylar, and his first words were, "Skalet, where is Purmel?"Kevin Mar's question hung in the air as he glanced at Skylar. Just then, Justin Mar entered the room, overhearing what his brother had just said.

"Bro, you're alive!" Justin exclaimed, rushing over to hug his brother. Skylar remained rooted to the spot, unable to believe that Kevin had just mentioned both "Skalet" and "Purmel."

"Bro, where is Purmel? I need to see her right now. I know you know who I'm talking about," Kevin insisted, and Lily Mar finally grew impatient.

"Can someone please tell me who this Purmel is? Everyone's been shouting her name. First, it was Skylar, and now it's Kevin ge," Lily Mar demanded in a serious tone, catching everyone's attention.

Skylar realized that this was the moment to reveal everything to Lily. She smiled and said, "Justin, I think it's time Lily knows everything about us."

Justin hesitated but finally agreed, "You're right, but I don't think this is the best time for it."

"If you can't tell her, I will," Kevin interjected and began explaining to Lily about their past lives. Lily Mar was both amazed and puzzled by the story after a few minutes of explanation.

"So, you're saying that you all were from royalty in your past lives, Lila was pregnant, and you were all killed by some so-called Prime Minister? Seriously? Don't tell me this is what happened in Canberra, and that's why you two started dating," Liily Mar burst into laughter. However, her laughter ceased when she saw their serious expressions. "Wait, for real, you guys are from the past?" she asked, and they all nodded in response.

"I need to go see Purmel," Kevin Mar said, attempting to get out of the bed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but right now, the patient needs to rest. After that, we'll need to run some tests before allowing him to move around," Dr. Leo Wang interjected, prompting Lily, Skylar, and Justin Mar to excuse themselves from the ward to give the doctor space to examine Kevin's health.