The doubt was not a constant in her life. Since the death of her parents, Yuna had always been clear about what she needed to do. She couldn't afford the luxury of hesitation if she intended to care for her sister and keep her from being taken away. However, determination had now become her enemy. How could she, so casually, choose something that would change the course of their lives forever?

  "Have you decided what you're going to do?" Vincent asked the hesitant young woman.

  "...Yes," Yuna Nakama replied, almost certain that she would regret her decision in the future.

  "Your sister has woken up," Sussy informed them after knocking on the door and stepping into the office.

  Yuna's heart skipped a beat at the good news. Accompanied by Vincent and Sussy, she rushed to the room where her most precious treasure lay. Yet, even knowing the truth of the announcement, disbelief lingered, and she hesitated as she entered the room.

  "How... how are you feeling?" she asked softly upon seeing her little sister sitting up in bed as she approached her.

  "Like a stampede of people trampled over me," her sister replied, touching her head. "What happened?"

  "Well... you see... you fainted again, and this man helped us care for you," Yuna lied, pointing to Vincent, who stepped into the room, followed by Sussy.

  "I can't remember... but that's nothing new," her sister responded with a faint, sarcastic smile. "Thank you for your help."

  She bowed her head slightly in gratitude as she climbed down from the bed. For once, and as cruel as it sounded, Nasai's illness worked in Yuna's favor.

  "Don't move too much; I'll get you a glass of water," Sussy suggested.

  "Where is my brother?" Vincent asked Sussy before she left the room.

  "He stepped outside for a bit of fresh air; he said he wouldn't be long," Sussy informed them just before leaving the three alone.

  ━━━━━━???━━━━━━

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  Meanwhile, in Sorine, hours later, the sun was setting in the west, its nearly final rays illuminating Nick's silent house.

  "The elders require your presence at the next meeting," Belle informed the young man sitting on the floor of the dining room.

  "I can't..."

  "I know it's vital to bring her back home. But the kingdom you rule is even more important. Besides, everything we're doing is behind their backs. If you don't show up, they'll start to suspect our actions."

  "...I understand," he finally replied.

  ━━━━━━???━━━━━━

  All the residents of the Dokovic mansion stood waiting for Patrick’s arrival at the entrance of the English garden. The atmosphere was a little tense for Nasai, who didn’t fully understand what was happening.

  “What are we doing out here?” Nasai asked, her determined gaze fixed on her sister.

  “Are you cold? If you’d like, we can wait inside…”

  “I’m not cold, it’s just... Yuna, are you okay? You’re acting strange. And who are we waiting for?” the young woman asked, her unease growing.

  Yuna remained silent for a long moment, letting out a deep sigh before finally speaking.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you…” she murmured to herself, her voice heavy with sorrow.

  “What?”

  “Nasai... we’re going to be apart for a while.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well... this man”—she gestured toward Vincent, who stood nearby—“do you remember him? He’s a major investor looking to bring new profits to the company on an economic and acquisition level. How should I put it? I’ll be helping him by guiding him through the company’s operations, which means I won’t be home for a while.”

  She finished her explanation with a warm smile. It was a lie—an absurd one at that. She hadn’t even graduated high school and had started working at a young age. “How could I possibly help an investor boost a company’s sales?” she thought bitterly. But in that moment, it was the best excuse she could come up with.

  “I understand,” Nasai replied without hesitation, much to Yuna’s surprise.

  Nasai, however, felt deep down that something was wrong. Yet, the last thing she wanted was to become another problem in the equation. If that meant staying away from the person she loved most in the world, so be it. Without warning, she stood up and hugged her sister tightly.

  “Look who’s here…” Vincent interrupted the emotional moment between the two sisters as he watched someone pass through the massive gated entrance. “Nasai, come closer. Let me introduce you to Patrick. From now on, he’ll be living with you.”

  Nasai’s heart skipped a beat as she laid eyes on the handsome young man approaching her for the first time. His translucent skin, jet-black hair, and emerald eyes left her cheeks flushed with a sudden warmth.

  “What are you talking about, brother?” Patrick asked, clearly puzzled.

  “Well, as of today…” Ronnie chimed in mischievously, leaning casually against Patrick, “…you two will be living under the same roof.”