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Amethyst just sighed. He really doesn't want to go home, but he can't do anything because his father and brothers won't stop him if he doesn't go home.

What else do they need from her? She knows that whenever her father and three older brothers are like this, something bad will happen.

She has a hunch.

Even before she entered, she took a deep breath. It must be a long battle between her and her family.

As soon as Amethyst set foot in her family's house, the door barely closed behind her when her father's voice sliced through the air.

It's been said that she didn't make a mistake. These people definitely have something bad to say.

It's tiring.

Amethyst is getting tired of this setup all the time.

"Amethyst! Do you have any idea what time it is?" Carl's voice boomed from the living room.

Because Amethyst was already expecting this, she didn't panic anymore. For where else? Panic or not, it makes no difference.

Might as well stay calm.

She took a deep breath and walked in, her shoulders heavy with fatigue from the long day. Even when his family really won't give him a good day. Every other day, they always set up like this. Amethyst didn't know what else to do.

Dylan and her family don't want her, and it makes her feel bad.

He does have an ally in the family, but he can't defend himself. Her aunt and her mother, even though they wanted to speak for him, didn't have the courage.

How long are they going to be like this?

Her father stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, with a look of stern disapproval etched across his face.

This is not new to Amethyst. His father could always look at him that way, not only at him but also at his mother and aunt.

Her three brothers, Larry, Kyle, and Harry, flanked him, their expressions cold and unwelcoming.

What has been changed here? Nothing!

"I'm sorry, Dad. My phone was off," Amethyst began, but Carl cut her off.

"Your phone was off?" Amethyst heard her father snort. "We've been trying to reach you for hours! Do you know how worried we were?" Carl's voice was tight with frustration, but his eyes held no genuine concern.

It's not that his cellphone is off; he just really doesn't want to talk to them. Every time she talks to her father and brothers, Amethyst feels like they are absorbing her strength.

Larry, the eldest, stepped forward, his face hard. "You can't just disappear like that, Amethyst. We thought something happened to you."

Here it is again. Nothing has changed. Can't they think of anything else that's new and that's always the same? What do they think of her, idiot?

Did they think she would believe this right away? Are they joking?

Don't they have any other jokes to think of? Because it no longer sells to Amethyst.

Kyle, the second son, shook his head in apparent disappointment. "It's irresponsible. You should have at least checked in. A simple message would have sufficed."

'Wow,' Amethyst said in her mind. 'If you could look at me, you'd think I'd been proud at least once. They can't even recognize my awards, and then if you look at me, you'd think I'm a big disappointment.'

Amethyst couldn't help but feel sorry for herself. Why did he live with this family? I wish he was born into a poor family instead of a rich one; this is how he was treated.

Amethyst feels that since childhood she has been bargaining chips. Well, that's true.

Harry, the youngest, looked at her with a mix of annoyance and disdain. "We were all so worried, Amethyst. You can't just ignore us like that."

Amethyst felt the weight of their words pressing down on her, but instead of feeling panicked, she felt a strange sense of calm.

What did Harry say? Ignore them?

Maybe Amethyst didn't have any respect left for him; he might have laughed at them.

They know that she is ignoring them, but they still can't feel it. How thick is their skin? They're too shameless. Even Ata Libro is ashamed of the thick faces of his father and his three older brothers.

She knew their concern was more about control than care. This time, Amethyst is really sure that these four have some kind of bad plan for her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

What else is new there? They are always like this with Amethyst; this is not new to her.

Even their words, Amethyst already knows well whenever they need Amethyst to do something.

Funny.

"I understand you're all worried, but I needed some space tonight," she said, her voice steady but tired. She needs to put some retraining on herself, and Amethyst doesn't know if she can do it if it continues. "It's been a tough day, and I needed some time to think without my phone buzzing every few minutes."

No, he sees their text messages, but he really doesn't want to reply. What for? To make them feel that he is worthless to the family? Not anymore, thank you.

Amethyst's hands are full with only Dylan, and then his family will be added. Nevermind.

Carl's expression remained hard, but his tone was manipulative. "We just want to know that you're safe, Amethyst. Is that too much to ask?"

'Yes, it's too much.'

Amethyst wanted to say those words, but she knew that this conversation would be longer if she did. He didn't want to see or hear their voices anymore. He just wants to rest.

Can he rest forever? The kind, six feet under the ground?

She is tired. She is tired of this life.

She shook her head, trying her best to smile like it was nothing. "No, it's not. And I'm sorry for worrying you. But sometimes, I need a break from everything. From everyone."

Amethyst seemed to want to vomit at what he was saying. When did he learn to play with his family? I don't remember her anymore. Since she is so young, she can't remember.

She became aware of her life early because of the way her father and brothers treated her.

Larry sighed, rubbing his forehead in a theatrical display of frustration. "We get that, but communication is key. We need to know where you are and that you're okay."

Kyle nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowing. "Just a quick text, Amethyst. That's all we ask."

Harry stepped forward, his voice dripping with insincerity. He patted Amethyst's shoulder, acting close. "We care about you. That's why we worry."

Care? No, they don't care about her. They don't care if he dies or not. They worry about themselves, not about her.

'What else do they need?' Amethyst said in her mind.

Amethyst nodded, feeling the familiar sting of their words. "I know. And I'm sorry. I'll do better next time."

Maybe it's better to just play with them first. She has nothing to lose if she plays with them.

Carl uncrossed his arms and took a step closer to her, his gaze piercing. "Remember, Amethyst, we expect more from you. Don't let it happen again."

Yes, they expect Amethyst to agree to what they want to do.

She smiled faintly, hiding the hurt behind her eyes. "I understand. It won't happen again."

Not really. Amethyst had no intention of doing whatever they wanted. They will mess up and hurt each other before they force Amethyst. That's because they know what kind of woman Amethsyt is, and that's why her father and brothers are ready for trouble.

Her family nodded in unison, and the tension in the room was still palpable. They all wanted the same thing: to keep her under their control, even if it meant using guilt and manipulation.

There is nothing new here for Amethyst; that's why she is just playing around.

She has experienced and learned a lot from La Xiena Mafia, which is why this kind of manipulation is irrelevant and useless to Amethyst.