In the skies of Bastion City, rushing air flew across the grey cloud while yellow birds flapped their wings as they ascended into the clouds and dived down.

Engine sounds filled the streets as vehicles rushed on the highway.

Behind a tipper truck carrying black diamonds, a sleek silver Ferrari 250 GTO slowed down when a seven-year-old girl crossed the road, chasing after a dog.

"Hey, Poppy, come back!"

"Haah, children of today," Zoe said as she watched the girl rush off and catch the dog, then smiled as she waved at the Ferrari GTO.

"Are you okay, Aunty?" she asked, turning her head and looking at Li Mei.

"I’m fine, my child. Why did you stop?" Li Mei folded her arms together. She shifted her pale eyes to the window, as if she could see the birds flapping their wings and harmonizing with the engine sounds.

"It’s nothing, someone was crossing the road, but now she’s gone," Zoe said, then stepped on the accelerator.

She held the steering wheel with her left arm, while her right remained at the crotch, turning it when she needed to.

Lily’s face glowed with joy when they passed through the first three estates and saw girls of her age playing at the side of the street.

’How I wish brother would be back soon, I’ve missed him.’ She thought, then shifted her gaze to Zoe’s through the rearview mirror.

’He has to come so that I can have a baby I can carry, just like other women were carrying at the hospital.’

When she saw Zoe staring back at her, Lily giggled, then hid her face.

Zoe smiled silently, then shook her head while turning and entering through the Storm mansion’s gate.

Just as the silver Ferrari halted at the front of the fountain, Min-seo walked out from the garden and then stood in a welcoming posture.

Lily exited and rushed toward Li Mei’s door.

"Let me open the door for my mother, please." She asked while carrying a warm smile on her face.

"Ok, sure," Min-seo responded in a calm voice, then smiled.

She walked to the boot of the car, opened it, pulled out the foldable wheelchair, and then unfolded it.

"Madam Athena, let me take it from here," Min-seo said while placing the wheelchair right beside the open door before aiding Li Mei into it.

As soon as Zoe stepped out, she caught Min-ji staring at them from the second floor’s balcony, with her arms folded at her chest.

’Why is she not helping and just staring?’ She said low in her head, then walked to Min-seo.

"Min-seo,"

"Yes, Madam,"

"Why is your sister standing there as if someone has wronged her?" Zoe asked in a slow voice, then glanced at the second floor’s balcony once.

Min-seo sighed when she also saw Min-ji standing there, staring with an angry face.

"Madam, I actually don’t know what’s wrong with her today. If I must be honest, she –"

"It’s okay, I will go and talk to her," Zoe said, countering Min-seo’s statement.

Zoe stood there and watched as Li Mei’s wheelchair was being pulled into the building before closing the door of the Ferrari.

’There’s got to be some explanation for her recent behavior.’ She said in her head, looked at the balcony, then shifted her gaze toward the building’s entrance.

...

Lily pushed her mother to the sitting room then crouched down in front of her, smiling as she looked at her face.

Min-seo looked at Lily’s smiling face for a while before entering the kitchen.

When Zoe entered, she walked toward the stairs and began climbing it to the second floor.

"Oh, there she is," Zoe said softly when she saw Min-ji crumpled at the corner as if she wanted to be one with the wall.

"Min-ji, is everything alright?"

Min-ji didn’t respond; she just swatted her eyes off and chuckled loudly.

’Seriously?’ Zoe screamed in her head, while her eyebrow raised. "Min-ji, has someone wronged you?"

Min-ji looked Zoe up and down, pushed herself from the wall, then walked out of her sight as if no human was at her front.

"Wow, you’ve got some nerve to walk out of my sight while I’m talking to you?" Zoe said, then nodded once.

Min-ji turned to Zoe, then laughed. "Oh, if you don’t remember, let me bring your filthy mind to it."

She moved firm steps toward Zoe, then folded her arms at her chest.

"You staying in this mansion keeps making it rot." She paused and spat on the ground. "I have controlled myself from the day you came in, but this ends now."

"Min-ji, is that how you really are, or am I seeing a different Min-ji?"

Min-ji lowered her head, shook it, then lifted it to watch Zoe’s face. "You always play like you’re the angel, but let me tell you. I know all your dirty secrets, the secrets you think you have buried."

Zoe laughed while moving forward. "Wow, I thought you had some sense. But I was wrong. Well, you’ve given me no choice but to... you know..."

"Oh, you don’t have to say anything," Min-ji said calmly while raising her shoulders. "My sister and I are done here; we quit."

"Well, this seems like the most sensible thing I’ve heard you say ever since I stepped foot here. Go on, no one is holding your leg."

"Hmph!" Min-ji swayed her arms as she walked past Zoe.

Just as she descended to the ground floor and saw Min-seo working in the kitchen, she frowned. "Stupid people."

Her eyes blazed with anger when she saw Lily paying beside her mother. "No wonder the mother is blind and paralyzed."

"Hey sis," Min-seo called out when she saw Min-ji standing just in front of the kitchen door. "Come help me cook the meal."

Min-ji entered the kitchen, then pointed a finger at Min-seo. "Let me tell you something."

She pulled down the apron from Min-seo’s neck, turned off the electric stove, and then looked straight in her eyes. "We are leaving this place this instant."

"What? Are you listening to yourself on what you just said?" Min-seo said while covering her mouth as she laughed inwardly. "Oh!"

Min-ji’s face reddened as Min-seo kept on laughing.

"As long as I am the oldest, you follow wherever I go." She said and grabbed Min-seo’s arms, trying to pull her forward, but Min-seo pulled her arm back and caused Min-ji to stumble.

"It’s your call, either you go without me, or you stay here and change your attitude," Min-seo said while turning on the electric stove.

"We shall see!" Min-ji walked out of the kitchen, chuckled when she saw Li Mei’s face pointed toward the kitchen, then climbed to the second floor.

She packed her bags and walked out holding both her bag and Min-seo’s. "Either you stay here with nothing or come with me so you can get something to wear."

Min-seo lowered the heat of the stove, then walked out with a smile on her face. "I would rather stay naked than go with you."

At that same time, Zoe stood at the base of the stairs, watching the two sisters argue.

After a short while, Min-ji walked out of the mansion, threw Min-seo’s bag in a gutter, and then walked toward the roadside.

She walked toward a black BMW, which was already parked outside the Storm mansion, then entered.

"You actually proved yourself worthy to be part of the Qings than that bastard sister of mine." Darian said as he wrapped his arms around Min-ji’s shoulders.

Min-ji’s eyes widened with joy when Darian placed her head on his shoulder while running his fingers through her hair.

When Darian caught the driver staring at them through the rearview mirror, he frowned. "What are you looking at? Drive off before I wipe your entire family off like I did with your friend."