Home not so sweet.

Looking at the tall Manor that looked like a regular home of the rich socialites from the helipad before her, Resa lost the light that had been in her eyes. The cheerful glint was replaced with indifference and nonchalance to this place which was literally her home.

The Xiang Manor was built covering large acres of land as the clan also own the surrounding forestry to keep the public off its ground. The clan only had two buildings which housed their members and also for their personal business, the other being at their homeland where the Xiangs were deemed extinct.

Resa spent some of her years here cause to her, the buildings all looked the same. Same structure, colours and feeling, you wouldn't even feel like you were on foreign soil.

The Xiang clan were different from all the old and traditional clans from the Imperial state of China before civilization, mostly the Wang Dynasty but were wiped out during the uprising and usurping of power. It was deemed the weakest because they only aided other families that helped them but looking at the structure that stood before her, weak and Xiang, nuh uuh!

The quick flight from her apartment to the Manor was very stressful and annoying as the guards started with their brown-nosing to let them of the hook of picking her late as everyone knew that the Head always kept to time to the t. Landing in California left her drained as she knew that nothing good was waiting for her here. Going through the formal checks at the gate had probably sent the word that the princess was back.

Entering through the main doors, Resa took a deep breath as the last two years she spent away from her passed through her eyes.

She didn't know why the Head called her even though, she enjoyed some sort of freedom living outside the manor, she had a foreboding feeling from the sudden call.

The past two years could be considered peaceful as she didn't live in the hellhole that carried memories of her upbringing. The missions she engaged in helped her in staying sane for the time as she finally understood what life outside the clan felt like but this was home but not a sweet one.

The guards who came to pick her up quickly rushed to her side and seeing how nervous they still looked, Resa smirked to herself, 'Idiots'.

They opened the door and Resa stepped into the waiting hall taking in the silence and with her sensitive ears, could hear the chattering and voices that trained not to far from the waiting hall in the courtyard. Taking her left, she went the corridors which had exquisite paintings and different artifacts settled on the marble floors and on glass tables.

This part of the manor didn't have any chandeliers but electric candles that looked like fire torches from a horror movie.

Using the elevator at the end of the hallway, she reached the third floor of the manor exclusively for the Head. Taking stead steps , she finally stood before the Head's office.

Curling her fingers to fists to knock on the door, she paused when she heard her name or rather the name she despised the most, "Xiang Mey," came the soft old voice. She turned and glared hard at the right hand man of the Head who only knew how to provoke or rather the right word would be to irritate her.

Ever since she became a member of the clan, she was given this name which she detested because it wasn't hers. She was the daughter of her father and would forever remain an Alessandro.

For the sake of familarities and respect to the hierarchy, she acknowledged him with a subtle nod, "Master Han."

"Ah, I see that you finally returned and have been well the last few years. It's good to see that you're holding on." Master Han said with a gentle smile in his eyes.

" Thank you for your concern, Master Han, but it is very much not needed, as you can see, I have to meet the Head, he doesn't like to be kept waiting and am already late." Resa answered back to end the conversation and turned on her heels to meet the Head. No one could tell his mood and she knew that she was already late.

"He's in the tea room and not the study," Master Han called out to her. He's like the Young Miss still loathed him. Hmmn! How petty!!!

Resa nodded and took her left. Thank goodness, he only wanted to instruct her, she wanted nothing to do with that harbinger of trouble.

She opened the sliding door as the room had the ambiance of a traditional Chinese room made for an Emperor and so could be said for the interior design but the Head being a total nutcase to her only had this room designed as such as the rest of the Manor though having little details of a traditional setting was still modernly designed.

Sitting in front of her with the oakwood table and with the tea laid before him was the Head who exuded an aura of elegance, arrogance and authority. He had an unnerving look in his eyes that he could see through you, though there was always a ghost of a smile on his face whenever he faced this daughter of his.

Standing with her head bowed, shoulders straight and hands behind her, she stood like a soldier that she was made to be. She was the only one who dared to bow to him like this as it was customary to bow before the Head from your waist but Resa refused and was punished mercilessly. That day she asked a question, ' If I serve this punishment for a day, will I bow as I please,' He was amused while the others were shocked at the audacity of this young child. He agreed and she laid with the the heavy rod on her back for a whole day without food and wate under the glaring hot sun in the training grounds.

Smiling at the memory, he hummed when he heard her voice. "Greetings to the Head".

The Head continued to sip his tea languidly without even making any sound. The whole room was getting really tensed and was so silent that the rustling of the olive trees by the window could be heard clearly.

With her head still bowed, Resa wondered the kind of punishment she would be getting for being late on her first day back after a very long time. Just great, she had to deal with a hangover, an accident and now she was late to a meeting with the Head! Could her day get any worse.

The sound of the tea cup settling in its place echoed loudly as their was no other sound in the room. "You are late." The Head stated with a calm look on his face.

Raising her head, Resa stared at him with her black eyes and said, "I apologise," 'but it wasn't my fault'. She finished in her head. He hated exuses, the most. 'One should also be accountable for their mistakes,' he would say.

" I see, but why did you appear before me in your disguise, you aren't on a mission now are you?" he asked with amusement dancing in his eyes.

True enough, this was not the real Theresa Alessandro. She didn't have long black hair and black eyes and a cute mole right under her lips.

"As per your instructions, I rushed here immediately and so I didn't have time to change."

"And how well did your plan go, tut tut, anyways, you must be wondering why I called you back. You have spent quite some time in the outside world away from home now, haven't you? I believe you will share with me some of your adventures." He smiled lightly.

This man only knew how to connote trouble for her. What adventures?! She went on different bloody missions, eliminating, manipulating and putting things in the order, just the way he wanted even with a tag over her alias which she tried to use less. How amusing! Adventures indeed! Something that almost cost her life but Resa wasn't ordinary now, was she?

"As valid proof of my presence, you can see that I have completed the mission which were quite adventurous, indeed. I wouldn't want to bother you with the tales of the thousand ways I almost went six feet under during those adventures. But what l would like to know is, why I am here." Resa stated staring backing at him in the eyes.