Chapter 1

TRUE to Janice's words, she got discharged the day after tomorrow. Both her parents and nanny were smiling and tearing up in joy while they were exiting the hospital which is the complete opposite of her reaction. She kept on glaring at all the doctors who were lined up in the hallway and kept on asking her questions about her 'unusual' speedy recovery. She's thankful to the doctor who was assigned to her for shooing away his fellow colleagues, because if not? She would have gone bananas and started punching those peoples faces one by one out of irritation.

She's not violent in nature. Actually, she's a very demure and very mindful individual—okay, it's a lie. She might have been a little bit violent in her past life, but what can she do? It's part of her business anyway. Where do you find a loan shark who's not violent? She needs to be d*mn strong and scary in order for her customers to take her seriously, especially the men who keep on underestimating her.

Anyway, it's all in the past so it doesn't really matter anymore. She's Aria Valiente now, not Aria Montero. A fresh fifteen year old highschool student who's in her last year already. One more year and she'll jump into Senior highschool, then after two years she'll go into college and of course, this time she'll take a business course unlike her past self who didn't even finish highschool and just learned by self study.

In this life, she vowed to herself that she'll live like a normal teenager.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Her mother asked for the ninth time while they were driving home.

"I feel fine." She said while looking at the car window.

"Oh no, honeyyy. Our daughter really can't remember anything. She's not even calling me mommy anymore."

Aria frowned when she heard the woman's soft sobs. 'Is she seriously crying over that?' she asked herself while staring at the woman in disbelief who was now bawling her eyes out.

"Don't worry, she'll recover her memories in no time." Her father assured her mother.

Instead of stopping, the woman's shoulders moved up and down exaggeratedly as she wept louder. Aria sighed in defeat and let out a fake smile. She's pretending that she had amnesia so she needs to act accordingly to avoid suspicion from anyone who knows the real Aria.

"Please stop crying. I don't remember anything but I might recall something when we get home."

Her mother glanced at her with a pout, like a cute puppy asking her owner for some treats.

"And you're gonna call me mommy again, right?"

She felt her throat run dry after hearing that. Mommy? The heck, she never had a mommy before!

"Right, Aria? You'll call me mommy, right?"

That puppy eyed look is so intense that it gives her goosebumps, as if those looks are trying to touch her soul.

"Of course, m-mommy."

"Yeyyy!"

"And of course, she'll be calling me daddy again since I'm her favorite. Am I right, princess?" Her father 

glanced at her through the rearview mirror and winked.

"Y-yeah, daddy."

Blurting out the word 'mommy and daddy' left a bitter taste on her tongue. It feels so strange to call someone's parents as your own mommy and daddy, especially when you live your whole life as an orphan.

Aria felt a hand on her shoulder and when she glanced over, she saw how her nanny pulled the same cute puppy eyes with matching tears with her 'so called' mom.

"I'm so touched."

"Yeah..." She gently removed Janice's hand on her shoulder. "I can clearly see that."

Aria averted her gaze and went back to looking outside the window, watching all the other cars that's passing by and observing random people minding their own business. Her eyes twitched. What's so touching about it? She can't help but to frown because of the idea that she's gonna start living with these people.

***

THE Valiente mansion is just slightly bigger than her own mansion in her past life. There's nothing much to see because the interior is in minimalist style but she admits that the overall architecture of the place is up to her taste. Aria expected that their family might be rich but everything around her screams 'filthy rich' instead.

Aria knows that she got a second chance in life but she's clueless whether their family is a noble type of family or they're just d*mn wealthy because who in their right mind will hire about more than fifteen people to assist them? She just met the head maid, five more maids, one head chef, two assistant chefs, one baker, one gardener, two family drivers and the seven bodyguards—that's a whole lot of strangers to her. Even when she was a loan shark, she never met this many people in one go.

"We are glad to have you back, miss Aria. Your father already told us that you're suffering from temporary amnesia but don't worry, we'll help you remember everything." Carmela, the head maid, assured her while holding her hand tightly and started wiping some imaginary tears.

'Is that crocodile tears that I see?' She wanted to blurt out but she kept silent instead.

In just one glance, she already knew that no one from the staff genuinely cares for her. They are all smiling and looking enthusiastic in her presence but she knows how to read someone's facial expressions and movements, she learned it when she was still the boss in her loan shark company. These people might have fooled her parents, but Aria's one hundred one percent positive that none of them are loyal to her.

Her father held her shoulders to take her full attention. Those wrinkles and lines didn't even affect his father's handsome smiling face.

"I know that meeting a lot of people might be a little bit overwhelming for you since you just got out of the hospital, but it's important for you to know that you have three older brothers that are waiting for your return."

She failed to control her reaction and straight out grimaced at what she heard.

"Brothers? The heck..."

Everyone including her parents were taken back because of her reaction which is normal for her but unusual for them. Most of them dropped their jaws out of surprise but almost everyone got their eyes bulging in disbelief.

The Aria that everyone knew always clings to her brothers even though it's an open secret that none of her half siblings are fond of her. They never heard her badmouthing her brothers, not even when they were bullying her.

Just by seeing everyone's expression, she already has a rough idea on what kind of relationship she had with her brothers. Just what did the previous 'Aria' do to make her hated by everybody except her parents and nanny?

"Aria, watch your language, dear." Her nanny called her out, still eyes are widening.

One of her eyebrows arched unconsciously but thank goodness that no one noticed so she immediately plastered a fake smile. She needs to control her bitchy facial expressions or else they might find her strange.

"Okay, I'm sorry." She insincerely apologized. "But, I guess we don't really get along."

The staff began to exchange whispers and glances due to what she said while her parents and nanny Janice let out a worried expression. Her bluntness caught everyone off guard.

"Oh dear, it's not like that. Your brothers are just... uhm... they're just going through the phase of puberty that's why they act rebellious but they don't hate you." Her mother explained.

"That's right. If they tried to ignore you or treated you badly, you can just tell us right away. I'll scold them on your behalf." Her father added.

That made her frown. Although she's been a vicious loan shark in her past life, she knows that lying is not good, especially if you're trying to comfort a child. She doesn't need gentle parenting, she's old enough for that and Aria even never experienced anything acquainted with the word 'gentle' before.

Besides, she has this gut feeling that snitching about her brothers' cold treatment will make everything worse.

"Me and my brothers probably don't get along since none of them visited me when I was dying in the hospital, but it's okay. I don't mind at all."

Her father cleared his throat while her mother began to teary again. Okay! She's done. She doesn't want to deal with this awkwardness anymore so she needs to get out of here, ASAP!

"Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you'll be honest with me next time. No need to sugarcoat anything." She added before grabbing one of her bags from the floor.

"But Aria—"

"Thank you very much for the warm welcome but I really, really want to take a rest now." Aria cuts her father's words as she grabs her nanny Janice's arm. "Nanny, lead the way to my room."

She hurriedly pulled her nanny away without looking back. Aria knew that they're staring at her back because she felt it but there's no way she's going back. She wants to rest for real because her mind is getting exhausted on processing the reality that she's facing.

***

"I forgot the key to your room."

Aria winced and did a face palm. She can feel her legs weakening, who wouldn't? God knows how many steps that stair has, it's f*cking tiring! That walk took her months worth of stamina. She's not exaggerating, okay? Her legs are literally wiggling while walking on this long wide hallway, like spaghetti noodles that just got out of the boiling water.

Janice sighed while scratching her head. "I need to go into my room first to get the spare key."

She felt her eyes twitch. Her patience grew thin at the thought of waiting but she's calming herself mentally because she knew that the situation was inevitable and it's not nanny Janice's fault. Aside from that, she can't let her short temper ruin her chance of living a normal teenager so as much as possible she needs to be patient and calm.

Aria let out a deep sigh and took a look around her, looking for a random chair that she can use. After realizing that there's no chair at all, she sighs again before smiling back to her confused nanny.

"Is there a place or room where I can sit while waiting for you?"

The nanny took a glimpse at her wobbling legs and let out a slight frown out of worry before leaning to assist her.

"I'll walk you to the library, hun and you can wait for me there. It's the last door on the left."

"Ah, no need." She gently took her arm back. "I'll walk there myself and wait for you."

"Are you sure? Your legs look like giving out."

"It's better for me to get used to walking long distances since I've been bedridden for months. Don't worry, I'll get used to it."

Janice sighed before letting go of her arm. She assured her that she'll be back soon before finally walking out to go to her room to get the spare key.

Aria, on the other hand, began walking towards the last door on the left where the library room is. She was a little bit surprised after stopping in front of a huge and thick wooden double door. Just by looking at it, she already has a rough idea on how heavy it is.

"It must have plenty of books inside if the doors are this big." She muttered before pushing both doors with all her strength.

The door made a loud creak sound that echoed inside the whole room as she pushed it slowly due to heaviness. Again, she's not exaggerating but pushing that door made her gasp for air and even made her hold her knees.

"Why the f*ck is that door so heavy? That push just took half of my lifespan, I might die even before I graduate because of this d*mn door."

She was about to enter the room when she felt someone's presence standing behind her. Aria unconsciously did her fighting stance, ready to pounce the person behind her any second. However, she saw how the person suddenly froze for a minute after seeing her unusual movement so she cleared her throat and stood up straight.

"Yow, sup?" She welcomed the guy who just got even more shocked.

She's guessing that it must be one of the brother's that her parents are talking about. The guy who's now standing beside her is six foot tall looking like a varsity player at school and spends most of the time outside under the sun based on his physical build and unnatural tan skin. The guy must have a motorcycle as well based on the helmet that he's holding and keys hanging in his belt.

But why is this guy shocked at how she greeted him? Oh, is it because they're not close? How does the old Aria greet her brothers?

The guy also cleared his throat as if there's a hidden lump of saliva blocking his throat that kept him from talking. He averted his gaze and started to frown as the corner of his lips curled up into a sneer.

"Oh wow. Look who's back at Valiente's home." The guy remarked sarcastically before walking past her.

Her eyes locked at the guy's back with one of her eyebrows raised. Did that kid just sneered at her?

"Who are you?" She can't help but ask.

The rude homo sapien looked at her and smirked before slowly walking back in front of her. Aria felt the corner of her eye twitch. That smirk is very insulting. She can feel her temper starting to heat up.

"Geez, no need to pretend as if you forgot us, dumb ass." He said as he rolled his eyes. "We all know that you're just pretending about having amnesia. You miraculously live after that pretty bad fall yet you're still an attention seeker, eh?"

She was about to answer when another kid—obviously, much younger than the first guy—popped up beside her and even bumped his shoulder as he walked by.

"Kiel, father is here. If he heard you taunting that girl again he might cut your allowance for a month." Said by the kid with glasses and holding an open book in his hand.

"I don't care. Our real mom left me some savings so might as well use it instead."

His lips pursed. "Whatever. Just don't come back into my room in the middle of the night to rant about your allowance being cut off."

"Hey! That's not true!"

They started bickering even though they were ten feet apart from each other. This sneering kid in front of her is now shouting and it's starting to irritate her ears.

Aria decided to just walk out of the library even though she did not completely enter yet just to save her ears from bleeding, but this rude motherf*cker blocked her way.

"Where are you going, attention seeker? Are you going to run into your mother's arms and will cry again just like what you always do? You're really a snitch, are you?" He taunted.

Her forehead creased in genuine confusion. That's it? This kid is trying to taunt her by the word attention seeker and snitch? She's not even hurt one bit. That's not even part of the list of words that have been used to insult her in her past life as a loan shark! The previous owner of this body must have been quite sensitive to be hurt by this annoying homo sapien's remarks.

"Kiel."

A deep cold voice called this guy named Kiel that immediately shut him up. It was from the third guy who emerged behind Kiel's back, which Aria assumed to be the oldest brother she had.

The tallest among the brothers and also the one who has the coldest gaze. His presence is very intimidating and holds more authority than her father's presence. Aria felt pity for the previous owner of her body, it must be hard dealing with these three insensitive brothers.

"Leave and go to your room." The one with the cold gaze and obviously the eldest brother—told Aria without even sparing her a glance before walking past her.

"Yeah, just go to your room and never come back. We don't want to see your face." Kiel added, taunting her even more.

The nerves in her forehead appeared after the thread of her patience suddenly cut off. Aria gave Kiel a smirk that surprised him and the youngest brother who's currently observing them. While the eldest is still not glancing over her.

"Sure, douchebag. Why don't you get out of my way so that I can go and lock myself in my room?"

"W-what?" The only word that Kiel can utter as of the moment.

Aria crossed her arms in front of her chest and started taking steps one by one, as if she's trying to taunt Kiel back, making him walk backwards.

"I. said. get. lost."

Kiel's mouth hung wide open as his eyes were bulging in their sockets out of disbelief. The sister that he knew usually looks at her with teary eyes before even running back to their parents to tattle about his bullying but this girl in front of him is not even batting an eye while talking back!

"You... you! What did you say?!" He asked while pointing his finger to Aria, who's now the one sneering at him.

"You know what? I agree with you when you said that I'm an attention seeker, but what can I do? There must be something special about me to have everyone's attention unknowingly. I even got yours without doing anything."

"What...?"

She tilted her head while staring at his older brother. "I just got home from the hospital after staying there for more than three months and I seriously don't remember a thing about myself, but hearing you yapping some bullsh*t as soon as you see me makes me wonder whether you're trying to piss me off or you just actually miss me, brother?"

His brother's face went flushed, like a red ripe tomato ready to be sliced and put on a burger, that's how red Kiel's face right now. He even used his right hand to cover half of his blushing face out of embarrassment, completely off guard by Aria's unusual reaction.

"Anyway, no need to accompany me, brother. Even though I don't remember anything, I'll manage to find my way back to my room without your help. I'll yap about your sh*tty personality to our parents next time when I'm not busy, okay?"

Aria tapped his shoulder and took a glance at her other brothers. The youngest looked at her with the same surprised expression while the eldest still did not look back at her. The smirk on her lips even grew before leaving them still dumbfounded at her actions.

"Looks like living like a normal teenager is harder than being a loan shark." She mutters while walking back to her room.