Fast forward to the next day, Zivon, Xavia, Ian, Nathan, and Jovan headed off to look for the kids, whereas Xavia’s parents and Tiffany remained at home… Though Xavia really didn’t want Ian to come along after all that he had done for them, Ian kept insisting until she gave in. He knew that she meant well, but at the same time, he also felt guilty about failing to protect his sister so much. Tiffany herself was fine with his decision. After all, she understood how much this meant to Xavia, and she was in a comfortable spot in her relationship with Ian anyway… Little did the couple know what was going to be in store for them… It was about three hours later when the plane finally landed in Ashville, and the group of five quickly made their way to the hospital where James was in… “Feeling any better…?” asked the worried Xavia. Smiling in response, James then slowly sat up before replying, “You don’t have to worry about me, I’m fine…” Though it was true that the wound didn’t lo
After filtering through at least twelve large, abandoned sites, Xavia couldn’t help but mutter, “…So, you’re telling me that this place shut down after only two weeks of operating?” Looking at the picture Xavia was pointing at and checking his notes, Zivon replied, “Indeed. Designed by Hurricane Constructions and several biologists, it was supposed to be the largest underwater playground in Aplos. However, it was quickly apparent that the site was too deep, which led to many of the ‘test’ children getting thalassophobia… Some even claimed that the children got so scared that they straight up died, and with that kind of rumor spreading around, it’s no wonder this place had to be abandoned…” …If that was the case… “…You’re thinking what I am, right? This has to be the place!” “…Yeah, it has to be. After all… This location was apparently funded by the Harrison Group.” “What? Sophia was the one who constructed this place? Then there’s no question about it! Let’s go!” Nodding in
“…Is you.” Eyes widening in surprise, Xavia then asked, “…A-are you sure?” Nodding in response, Zivon replied, “Yeah. After all, you understand her feelings best, and I’m sure you’ll be able to eventually talk some sense into her… Once her defenses are down, we’ll finally get the chance to get the kids back. Of course, I’m also suggesting that you go because you’ll be able to make up for your regrets…” Noticing the surprise in Xavia’s eyes, Zivon added, “I know you’ve been blaming yourself a lot for what happened to the kids… So honestly, this is the chance for you to set yourself free from that guilt.” …To think that he would consider her feelings in his plan… It was touching, to say the least, and after wiping a stray tear off the corner of her eye, she was prompted to mutter, “…Thank you, Von…” Smiling in response, Zivon then patted her head before saying, “Hey, I’m only doing a husband’s duty… Regardless, you’ll be part of the planning process from now on, so stay sharp,
Nodding in response, Xavia replied, “Don’t worry, I know… Be sure to look out for yourself as well, alright? Let’s do this!” Unlike the others, she wasn’t afraid. After all, she was finally going to be able to meet her kids again! Seeing her like that, Zivon couldn’t help but feel slightly worried. After all, he knew how vigilant Sophia was, which was honestly the only reason why he hadn’t planned to follow them in, in the first place… All he could do was monitor them from the outside through his computer… Patting him on the shoulder, Ian reassured, “Don’t worry, she has a bulletproof vest on… She’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.” About an hour later, Xavia finally began streaming the inside of the building. The aquarium had been built on an island with a lighthouse on it, and everywhere the camera panned, it revealed layers of dust, moss, and all sorts of plants… It truly felt desolate here… After a long silence, the doctor finally said, “Be sure to stick close to me, Liora. Ther
...Were Maison and Frank! Her beloved children…! Though she was overjoyed, she couldn’t help but notice that they were standing in front of a bedridden Yulia… Just as she was wondering what to do next, something black suddenly leaped onto her! Startled, she immediately fell to the floor, though thankfully, she didn’t make a sound! The doctor himself was quick to look at Sophia… and upon realizing that the woman was sizing Xavia up, he realized what was happening. Clearing his throat, the doctor then said, “…As I said, she’s mute, so there’s no need to test her…” Following a slight pause, the anxious woman eventually breathed a sigh of relief before growling, “…Don’t tell me what to do. Now go examine the child already!” As she got up, Xavia was glad that she had kept Zivon’s advice in mind… Sophia was currently in a terrible state of mind, so she needed to be just as cautious as that paranoid woman was… While helping the doctor sort out the medical supplies, she couldn’t help
Either way, the ‘big ball’ was apparently a large, transparent dome surrounded by dark murky waters… and aside from the occasional glimmer of light from the lighthouse above, this place was nearly pitch black. How claustrophobic and terrifying! That aside… Didn’t Maison look a lot calmer now? What was up with that? Watching as the boy stared at her for a while, Xavia was startled to hear him ask, “…Is that you, Mommy…? If you are, then feel free to tell me. There aren’t any surveillance cameras here, which is why I brought you over in the first place.” …So that was all that was about! Feeling extremely relieved, Xavia replied, “You truly are as smart as ever, Maison…! But… How did you find out-” Before she could even complete her sentence, Maison hugged her tightly while whimpering, “I… I knew it…! You really are Mommy…! Oh, Mommy, you have no idea how long we’ve been waiting…! I kept telling the others that you and Daddy would eventually come save us again, but even I was star
Taking a deep breath, Maison replied, “…So… the doctor is on our side, right? If so, just get him to tell Auntie that Yulia is gravely ill and requires medical attention in a hospital… If we’re careful about it, we may just be able to escape! Oh, and in the process, we can get a doctor to restore Auntie’s mental health as well!” “…That sounds like it would work, though… You still want to help her after all that she’s done?” asked Xavia with a slightly raised brow. Pursing his lips, Maison replied, “…At the end of the day, she can’t truly be blamed… She’s only doing all this because of her mental illness, and I’ve seen her beating herself up time and again whenever she was alone… Besides, she’s been treating us nicely this entire time, and I genuinely think that she would never harm us… With all that said, I really hope that she can make a full recovery after this…” …To think that her son would grow up to be so kind and understanding… Though touched, Xavia eventually replied, “…Th
“…It’s more serious than I had initially anticipated. Basically, the stressful and isolated environment here has caused her immune system to plummet, and with that said, the odds of her having leukemia are higher than ever.” Now trembling in fright, the pale-faced Sophia replied, “B-but I’ve made sure to give her the best that I could offer! There’s no way that that’s the case! Run another check…!” Watching as she began tugging his coat, the anxious doctor was quick to reply, “P-please calm down first, Miss Harrison! Though I agree that this facility was made with care, people have different needs, especially children! They’re particularly susceptible to change! R-regardless, we need to take her to a hospital first or her life will be in danger!” D-danger? Now more agitated than before, the frantic woman yelled, “N-no! That’s a lie! My baby won’t die! She won’t! C-cease this nonsense right now and get out!” Not liking this one bit, the frightened doctor quickly pulled out a tra
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a