Wild Young Miss: Mister, Let's Kiss!

"Zoey?" Sarah muttered, her bottom lip trembling. "She — she knows?"

Sarah then turned her head towards Zachery. Her husband gazed down and at that moment, her heart sank. All this time, Sarah believed Zoey never had an idea. Zachery never told her. 

That's why Sarah kept her act of not knowing Zoey's origin. She pretended to be that welcoming foster mother who loved Zoey, even though she's not her own. 

But after that talk with Vivian, everything had changed.

"I always noticed Zoey's hostility towards Dad. Maybe, she's scared that you'd attempt to dispose of her again and she would fight back this time. Maybe… just maybe, if you did what you've done to her years ago, she's afraid she would end up taking the life of my father. Maybe, after all these years, Zoey knew you dreaded her presence, and she knew what you're capable of. But because of me and the innocent mother she assumed I had? Maybe because of that, she held back." 

Zion licked his drying lips as he looked at his parents with shame. He had never felt so ashamed of having such parents. Parents who could kill a child and turn a blind eye to the injustices of the innocent child who never asked to be born with the sins of her parents.

"All these years, I thought I was protecting her and doing the duties of a brother. But in the end, it was me whom she protected from the pain of seeing the real colors of the people I looked up to. In the end… I would have to hear the truth from people I've never even met my entire life."

Zion ran his fingers through his hair in distress. He loved his parents. But this pain? This disappointment? And this truth? It was a hard pill to swallow… but he had to.

"Do you even have an idea what kind of life Zoey had before coming back to this hell of a family?" Zion raised his brows, his eyes blood-shot as he held back the tempting tears pooling on the side of his eyes.

"It was hell." Zion uttered through his gritted teeth. "And do you even know where she is now? Who is she with right now?"

As he darted his eyes from his parents, Zion shook his head once again. He bit his lips again, rocking his head back and forth lightly as he pointed outside.

"She's out there, back in hell with a vicious devil. Do you know why my sister is there?" Zion asked once again. "Of course, you don't. Because all her life, you've seen her as the fruit of Dad's sins. But let me tell you, Zoey returned to that hell because if she didn't, all three of us would die."

"What…" Sarah choked, as she couldn't grasp Zion's last remarks. 

Meanwhile, Zachery was lost for words. All the information thrown at him wasn't being processed properly, as his eyes were fixed on Zion.

"Zion, what are you…"

"When Dad attempted to kill that little girl, she survived. Unfortunately, she was taken under the wing of some crime family. Now, those same vile people have asked her to return or we will all die." 

Although these weren't the exact words from Ivan and Inigo, it was still the same. Zoey had made a great sacrifice for the sake of everyone she loved. That included them: the family who never truly acknowledged her as part of their family. This family would never know Zoey's efforts, if not for Matthew.

Upon realizing Zion's last remarks, Sarah's knees went weak until they gave in. She choked, panting for air as her entire body shuddered from shock.

"Sarah!" Zachery snapped, rushing to his wife worriedly. However, Zion only gazed down at them. Not a trace of pity was seen in his eyes.

"Zoey… my little girl…" Sarah breathed in between her gasp, but Zion didn't dwell on it that much.

"I'm resigning from the Kwan General Hospital, President Kwan. I'll also get my things and leave this place." Cold as ever, Zion uttered as he watched Zachery raise his head.

When their eyes met, a glint of determination flickered across Zion's mind. "I'm cutting ties with the Kwan Family."

"Zion!" Zachery yelled, his tone firm and commanding.

"I'd rather die than spend another second here. I don't want to lose the last straw of respect I have for you and mom. This… we're sickening." Zion spat out as he walked away.

For someone who never talked back or defied his parents; for someone who worked hard to please them all these years, Zion hated the fact he couldn't hate his parents more than they deserved. 

He was sick, not in this situation, but in himself. For being blinded and disregarding what should be addressed. For never raising his questions, and for not being there for Zoey when she needed him the most.

Zion packed his things and no matter how much Sarah pleaded, he didn't look back. Because if he did, he wouldn't have the heart to become a man his sister could rely on.

****

Back on Zoey's side…

After Cecil's visit, Zoey remained sitting on the couch. Nikolai was beside her, keeping his silence while staring at her.

"You seem like you want someone's head at the moment." After a long, stifling silence, Nikolai spoke as he smirked.

Ever since Zoey came back, she was neither happy nor sad. Neither did she ever get angry at something. But today, she remained oddly silent to the point that Nikolai felt a little uncomfortable.

Zoey hardly blinked, but this time, the second her eyelashes fluttered, she moved her gaze to the man next to her. Her face was emotionless.

"I warned you." Zoey said, the end of her upper teeth grazed at the lower set. "Don't touch, my husband."

"Your husband?" Nikolai smirked, shaking his head lightly. "Sweetheart, I don't think you should be calling that incompetent guy as your husband in front of you fiance."

"Pfft--!" Zoey hid her urge to laugh out loud. But this deliberate slip caused the arrogance plastered on Nikolai's face to vanish.

"You're laughing?" Nikolai furrowed his brows and knitted his brows. Slowly, his evil smirk resurfaced, and before Zoey knew it, he gripped her by the jaw, his fingers digging deep into Zoey's cheeks.

"Why, Zia? I'm perplexed about what's so funny?" 

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Author's Note:

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