Wild Young Miss: Mister, Let's Kiss!

"Because you're so clueless. You act and claim as my sister's big brother. Yet, she protects you instead and she can't even rely on you." As brutally honest he could be, Ivan uttered mercilessly, hitting all nerves in the clueless Zion.

"Uh," It rendered Zion speechless. Well, how was he supposed to rebut that? Ivan had a point.

Right now, Zion could only think that he didn't know his sister just like what he thought. It just felt… Zoey was like a concerned stranger. 

It was a painful slap to receive. However, it was a slap from reality which no one could avoid.

"Take a seat, young blood." Ivan cocked his head to the vacant chair near him. "This little brother will tell you what my sister had to endure to keep your happy family together."

Zion swallowed a mouthful of saliva. His heart was beating so fast that his breath could barely catch up. 

He nodded and dragged his trembling feet to the nearest chair. When he perched, Zion took a deep breath as he faced Ivan.

Zion often thought that Ivan didn't like him. At first, it was because of Cora which was quite petty for him. Alas, Zion figured now that it was something else.

"I'm ready." Zion mustered his courage as he wanted to know everything that Zoey didn't tell him. He knew that it would be painful, but he prepared himself to hear the worst.

Little did Zion know, his kind of worst was still mild. Because what he was about to hear would question his existence, his purpose, and beliefs.

"Hmm. Where should I start?" Ivan rubbed his chin lightly, recalling the first time he had met Zoey.

"Alright." Ivan cleared his throat, deciding to start on how Zoey joined the Silva Family.

"I know you're already aware of the missing years when Sis was not with you. Do you know where she was all that time and what she was doing?" Ivan arched his brow. "She was recruited by the Silva Family. A powerful crime family based in Europe."

"If you're wondering how a girl like her traveled all the way from here to there, you can ask your father."

Zion furrowed his brows. However, he held back the urge to inquire as Ivan wasn't done yet.

"After that accident, your father, Kwan Zachery… he wanted to dispose of her."

"But why?" This time, Zion failed to hold back upon these allegations. "There's no reason for my father to do that. Also, he is not that kind of person."

Zion affirmed. He knew his father. He might not know Zoey, but Zion was certain he knew his father as he grew up with Zachery and Sarah's guidance. Zachery might be a bit controlling, but that's only the downside of his father.

"Hah!" Ivan chuckled laced with mockery. "See? You're like a princess who is protected from the bad side of the world!"

Ivan chuckled and shook his head. He couldn't believe Zion's ignorance to the point it was amusing in its own strange way.

"There is a reason.  A very strong, f*cked up one." Ivan whistled, waving as he tried to keep himself composed.

"Apparently, Zoey, the sister whom you're so kind to treat as your own sister despite not being blood related, is not a very kind gesture from you. Why? Because my sister is your father's daughter." Ivan raised his shoulders, thrusting his bottom lip forward with his brows raised.

"Huh…?" Momentarily, Zion's mind lagged behind. He was like struggling to grasp water -- that's how he felt.

"She's your father's bastard. My Sis told me before that she's the fruit of your father's sin. Although she never explained it in detail,  you can put the small pieces together. Whether her mother was r*ped or she had an affair with your father, ask your father about it."

Ivan paused as he reached for the bottled water on the table. He sipped a mouthful of water. While he put back the lid on the bottle, he stared at Zion whose face was pale.

"Fast forward to that neglectful mother's death, your father tried to dispose of her to clean his name completely. Fun fact, though. That accident is orchestrated by your jerk of a father." 

Ivan resumed, unamused at Zachery's tiny yet violent tendencies.

"So my sister disappeared because your father wanted her dead. Apparently, the people who threw her in the lake didn't do their job properly. Maybe because she's a child. In any case, for a child who got maltreated all her life, her will to survive is stronger than a normal adult. I heard she swam her way until she found land. It's amazing and inspiring in a way."

The more Ivan spoke, the more it rendered Zion speechless. He was torn between believing it and questioning it. However, Ivan wouldn't know all this if Zoey didn't tell him, right?

"Little did she know, she would get caught up in something more troublesome. The land she reached was where a child of a notorious mafia boss was held for ransom. I didn't know the details, but in a way, she met my previous boss, Nikolai Silvestri. At that time, Nik was kidnapped and was flown all the way to this country. Don't jump to the conclusion that my Sis saved him like one of those superheroes."

Ivan chuckled at the thought because it was impossible. Still, Zoey had saved Nikolai in something else.

"I heard, in the end, Sis was also captured and was thrown inside the same cell as Nik. Now, the hostage takers had two children in their hands. One was meant to die since she's not useful, the other one was meant to die after the negotiation."

Ivan arched his brow as he explained in a matter-of-fact tone. He then glanced at Inigo who was far more knowledgeable about that incident as he was already active in the Silva Family at that time.

Taking notice at Ivan's sudden gaze, Inigo raised his brows and whistled.

"In other words, we have two kids dying here. But with Zia's courage and her will to survive, she planned an escape route for them. She was a smart kid and with a zero point one percent chance of escape, they made a miracle." Inigo recalled that time and a subtle smile resurfaced on his lips.

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Author's Note:

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