The day finally ended and there's nothing more Josephine could ever think of than to finally meet her best buddy and her mama and more importantly, she could be herself, Amber. She totally forgot what date it  is today as she eagerly waiting for tomorrow.

On the morning, she did her best to ignore Hae and not to start a drama again. Although the latter, did the opposite. He tried his hardest to get noticed but all his efforts just paid off with a small smile and a fake laugh.

The hour finally came. As the clock strikes 3 o'clock, she hurriedly excused herself.

"Harold, I should be going now, I need to take my siesta" she said

She didn't let Harold talk as she run towards her room leaving him dumbfounded once more.

She did her disguise and fix her bed then went to their meeting place.

*whistle "I'm here!"

"Comedown!"

She jumped excitedly and as expected, they rolled on the grass.

"Ugh! Fresh air once more!" She chirped as she sat up

"Seems like you're extra happy today, Amber"

"Never better!"

They hugged gently like the best buddies they are.

"I missed you bro"

"Hmm?" He immediately pulled out from the hug and looked at her in disbelief.

"What's the matter?" She asks

"You tell me, is there a problem?"

Knowing Kris, he sure knows how to read her mind and emotions through her actions. She sighed in defeat

Silence filled the both of them as they walk on to the cliff where they first met.

"You remember Hae?"

"Yeah, your brother who you love the most who is studying in the city, correct?"

"Yes, and he came back the other day"

"So why do you look all gloomy all of a sudden?, you should be happy right?"

"Yeah, I should be..." She mumbled looking at the sky.

Kris looking intently at her waiting for her continuation.

"But I don't know how to."

"Why are you being like this Am?"

"Am I a bad kid Kris?"

"Of course not, you are a very nice Kid."

"Then why is this happening to me? I felt like nobody wants my existence in the first place."

She looked down until Kris enveloped him in his arms and its like telling her that what she said just now is nothing but a fiction.

"I don't know why you are saying these things but, I hope you know that I am hurt hearing you like this" he whispered in her ears

"Amber, please don't think that you are not loved because you are..."

He pulled away only to hold her on her shoulders while looking deeply in her eyes.

"We love you Amber...

you are a treasure to us... 

To me"

"Kris..."

He brushed her tears away with his thumb. Then he embraced her. She rest her head on his shoulders as they look up to the sky.

"You think this way okay, look at a diamond, its pretty right?" He asked and Josephine just nodded and hum as a response.

"All we know is that its a precious gem    but we didn't know, what it been through before it became this beautiful" he said the last word as he look at the girl next to him

"I still don't get it Kris" she said, still eyes fixated towards the sky.

"How about, we now go to our mama and you tell us your story"

She nodded and hopped happily as they went to Kris's home.

~~~

"Ma! We are here!"
He yelled as Amber run and hug her mama on her waist

"Seems someone misses me so much huh?"

"Ma...." She rant

"What's the matter?" Elma worriedly asks

"Our little princess here have some 
Spilling out to do. Now, care to tell us your story?"

She broke the hug then starts to fidget her fingers, contemplating if she should tell them. After a good few seconds, she decided to go for it. Knowing that they are the only one who she can trust and she really need to vent her emotions out or it will explode any moment from now.

"You know... That day when Kris saw me crying on the cliff..., it was because I found something about me." She starts

"What about you my daughter?"

"I found out that I were living a lie all my life. I'd been born out of mistake, making me a mistake myself" she choked on her own words

"Shhh... Darling don't say that. Every child is a gift from God." Elma comforted her

"They don't want me to be born! And until now, they cannot accept me"
She said making her audience confused with her statement. They are puzzled with her cryptic messages.

"What exactly do you mean my daughter...?, please make it clear for us"

"My mother... She's dead..." She started that was cut off

"Mrs. Cabrera is dead?!" Elma shouted with an unreadable expression

The two looked at her.

"Oh, please continue" she said

"I just knew that my real mother was already dead, and the parents I known, were actually my grandparents... That explained why madam is so strict to me, its not because she loves me, but because she wanted me to earn my name which she thought, I don't deserve in the first place. And my brother who I thought, cared for me, well now I think, all his affection for me is just out of guilt... He was nothing but a coward man who cannot stand up for his own child..." She cried and Kris hugged her again to comfort her.

While Elma...

Elma, sat there quietly.. Clenching the sheets... Gritting her teeth... Remembering how bad of a person they are.

She cannot believe that even on their own blood and flesh... They can do such monstrous deeds just to clean up their names.

"Kris, what will I do now? he is back... It became more difficult for me now... Its like... The only person that I could turn to in the mansion is my grandpa"

"No!" Elma shouted out of nowhere making the two kids looked at her again.

"Don't trust him! He is the worst monster ever lived!" She screamed

Kris had his eyes widen... He never saw or heard his mother this way.

"You-you..kknow the Don???" Josephine stuttered afraid that she might said something to upset the woman

"I... I..."

Krrrriiiiiiing....

"What was that?" Josephine asked

"Ah, I set an alarm so you won't be late going home. I think you should go home now, let's go"

"B-but Kris!" She looked at Elma again, with her unreadable expression on her face

"Ma! Tell me what you know about my grand pa!"

"........."

"Ma!"

"Go home now, Josephine. Don't mind me, its just my personal ... opinion, I just thought about it, nothing serious. Let's talk about it some other time. I'm also tired, I need to rest"

"Let's go now Am" she nodded then they bid their goodbyes to their mama and proceed to walk to the Cabrera's.

.

.

.

"Mama was weird" Josephine said breaking the silence

"I think so to. She never yelled before... Except when my father died of course."

"Do you ever lived at the Cabrera's before, or somewhere near? Because it really looks like she know my family that much, or the Don atleast"

"I dunno... I don't remember living in any other house before"

"Ahh.... Here we are" she pout.

"Amber don't be sad we'll gonna meet again soon , you feeling better now?"

She nodded.

"But I don't think I can sneak out that often anymore. You know... "

"I understand."

They thought of their schedule then finally decided on what date their gonna meet again.

"Its finally time to get back on the dungeon"

"Be strong okay! Just like a diamond!"

"Yeah, bye!"

She went back to the mansion then climb up to her room. It seems like everything is going smoothly... SEEMS.

not until she walks pass the living room where Harold is sitting on a couch, to go to the kitchen to get some water.

"Where did you go?"

She stopped

"On my room. Where else?" She said with no bit of respect

"Hmmmm.... Then what is this about?" He throw a long pillow from his back. She catches it and as soon as she take a look at it... Her eyes widen.

'I didn't notice that it was gone on my bed' she thought

"Now, I'll repeat the question,  where did you go?"

"Somewhere. Why you even care? Do I also have to report to you now?"

"Josephine! I am not liking your tone on me!"

"Well guess what, I feel the same"

She turned her back to walk back to her room but was stopped by Harold.

"Move"

"No"

"Fine" she changed her direction and walk somewhere else.

This time, he griped her wrist forcing her to face him.

"What's wrong with you!" She yelled

"You tell me what's wrong with you!" He yelled for the first time

"Since I came back, you always gives me this cold treatment as if we don't know each other..."

"Do we?" She asks

He again, was taken aback by her question

"You don't know right? You don't know me... Just like I don't know you. so please leave me alone"

She yanked his hand then started to walk

"What would mother and father feel or do if they will find out that you are sneaking out?" He said making Josephine halt.

'Now you are blackmailing me? No wonder, Like mother, like son... Tsk tsk.' She thought then face Harold again.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to have a deal with me"

"What?"

"You'll go with me tomorrow, to go on a shopping... Then I won't tell them"
He knows that Josephine hate those girly stuffs. She better go on a ride all you can at the amusement park than to walk all day on a mall buying accessories and itchy dresses.

"If I don't, you'll tell them?"

"You are a smart girl Josephine" he mocked

She scoffed

"What are you gonna get through this immature stunt of you Harold?" She retorted

"You..."

"I want to get back us,...can't I have some quality time with my sister?" He smiled

'Sister huh?'

She laughed hard clenching her stomach.

"Ahahhahahaaahaha!!! That's all you want me to do huh? Fine, I'll go with you my brother" she emphasize the last word

"And I don't want you sneaking out again" he continued

She stopped laughing.

"Who are you to dictate what I should and not do?"

"Josephine! You don't know how much worried I am when I found out that you were gone! I am your big brother for Pete's sake! I have all the rights to be worried and forbid you from doing bad things. Have you realized that you were lying to us?!...

 and I demand some respect!"

"Worried? You are worried? About me? Since when? Haven't you remember that you left me with YOUR parents?....

Lying? Says who? From the one who DOESN'T have any secrets from his sleeves?

And doing bad things? I guess it runs in the Blood." She smirked seeing Harold's reaction.

He was about to answer back when she continued...

"Exactly as you say:

You are JUST MY BROTHER not my FATHER...so don't act like one." 

She continued her steps

"Oh I forgot, just tell me when we will go so I can prepare"

She walk away feeling relief that she finally said what she kept hidden inside. Its like a thorn was taken off her heart.

~~~~~~~
A/n: I'm sorry for the late update. I got so busy doing my other fic, "Yiyun's Blood Thirst" because its going to end soon