A/N: First of all, I want to apologize in advance. I’ll be out-of-town for business beginning Friday and will be back early next week. I’ll update once I’m back. Thank you for reading!

“I…I decided to allow Minkyung to get to know her…father.” She swallowed a lump in . Siwan was a very nice person and the last thing she wanted was to hurt him. After she told him that Luhan was Minkyung’s father, the only thing that she asked him was how he can help her. When he offered to accompany her to Yixing’s wedding, she wanted to say no but she had no other choice. She can only guess what Luhan was planning and she had to be prepared. She figured that if she was with someone then it would stop her from approaching her. If only she can learn to love Siwan as much as he loved her then she’ll be the happiest person in the world.

But then life was never fair.

“G-Good. Minkyungie deserved to know, right?” His smile was dazzling like ever but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe this is your chance to, you know, give her a complete family?”

“Siwan…” 

“I just want you to promise me one thing.” He said, tone serious. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. “I want to you to be happy. Give him a chance to make you happy. Living in the past won’t help you so I want you to do everything to be happy. Come clean. No more pretending. No more lies.”

“I don’t think—“

“Please, Minseok-ah. Trust me. If he messed up again, I’ll take both of you away and he’ll never see you again.” He gave her a sheepish grin. Instead of answering, she gave him a hug instead, knowing that this will be the last time he’ll see him in a long time. Im Holdings was expanding in Scandinavia and his father wanted him to oversee operations in Stockholm.

“Thank you, thank you so much.” She was sobbing in his arms. She was hoping that he’ll find the right person for him soon.

“Omma! Omma, are you listening?” Minkyung was waving a hand in front of her face. They were in the spacious den in the Choi mansion. Her daughter was watching her favorite Spongebob episode while solving a Rubix cube. Her phone buzzed and after seeing the photo message Siwan sent her that he arrived safely in Sweden, she remembered their last conversation that she didn’t hear what her little girl was saying.

“Sorry, honey. I was thinking about something. Tell me again?”

“Appa said he’ll take me to the knoll today. Will you join us?” She was peering at her from the where she was seated on the carpeted floor; few of her toys were around her. Luhan’s family didn’t say anything to her other than the usual pleasantries but they crowd around Minkyung a lot. The day after they arrived, she woke up to an excited Minkyung. She was busy showing off her new toys, dresses and shoes from her aunts and uncles. She wanted to scoff. It’s not as if her daughter was lacking in any way.

But then she remembered her promise to Siwan--she’ll give Luhan a chance and that meant she’ll give his family a chance. “I have to make an important phone call so maybe next time, okay?” She sat Indian style beside her and run her hands through her hair. “You have to be careful. You’ll not be riding Sunny today.” She was referring to her palomino.

“Appa said he’ll take me since I don’t know the way yet!” She beamed.

“Do you like it here so far?” She asked even if she knew the answer.

“Yes! But I miss Haraboji.” She pouted.

“I miss him, too, baby. Don’t worry, we’ll call him later tonight, okay?” Her daughter was always in the company of her grandfather and Yesung tend to spoil her a lot. She was glad that even in the midst of new family members and acquaintances, she still didn’t forget her haraboji.

The door to the den opened and it admitted Luhan who looked so fresh in his white sport shirt, khaki pants and riding boots. “Good morning.” He kissed her cheek—albeit hesitantly—before picking up his daughter from the floor and smothering her with kisses. Hopefully, he didn’t notice that his actions left her face burning. “Ready to go?” Minkyung nodded excitedly. “Are you coming with us?”

She smiled a little, probably the first she gave him since they met. “No, I have something I needed to finish today. You go on ahead and be careful.”

He nodded. “Okay. Let’s go?” He looked at Minkyung and Minseok was left staring at the doorway. She can hear Minkyung’s giggles from the floor above. She made sure her phone was in her pocket and decided that she can make the call while taking a walk.

The Choi manor’s garden was magnificent. Their own gardener started to work for them after their mother died but the garden was never the same. Her feet unknowingly brought her close to the greenhouse and there she can see Hankyung taking off dead leaves from the plants. She wanted to walk away but it was too late. She already saw her. Her kind smile made her walk inside the greenhouse, marveling at different kinds of plants in there.

“Hi, do you like gardening?”

“I do. They remind me so much of my mother.” She said truthfully, forgetting the last encounter she had with the elder lady.

“Oh yeah. Chenglin and I used to compare notes regarding tulips. They were a fad for sometime.”

“You know my mother?” She asked, surprised.

“Of course. When I came here, I had no friends and to cheer me up, my husband asked Yesung to bring his wife often so I have someone to talk to. And we were surprised to know that we we’re very much alike.”

“My mom used to tell me that she missed home a lot, too.” Her mother was disowned by her parents because she married a Korean and not a Chinese like what they wanted. They only heard from them when Baekhyun was in preschool and even then, they didn’t call or came over that much. But they finally forgave her parents for eloping and recognized their granddaughters. They died a few years back—only a few months apart—but that didn’t change much since they didn’t see or talk to them very often anyway.

“We both did, I guess.” Hankyung sighed.

“Are you—are you feeling better?” She asked, picking up random shears to help in the pruning.

“Yes. Thank you for asking. And sorry for my outburst the other day.” Minseok remembered the glare thrown her way and she realized Sehun had a reason to be terrified of their mother. Their father was one formidable figure especially in the business world but their mother had as much say in the family and in their lives. And with her fragile condition, they were more careful around her, trying to spare her feelings. And she was sorry that she was one of the reasons why she was hurting.

“I understand. It must be a shock—I mean, I’ll probably react the same way.”

“Don’t get me wrong. My granddaughter is probably the best thing that happened to us in a long time but forgive me if I want to know what happened? Luhan came home one day burning with fever and totally devastated but he refused to talk about it. He wanted to leave his post in the company but his father never let him.”

“I—we—I don’t think I’m the right person to tell you anything. If anything, Luhan is the best person to explain—“

“Did you let him explain? I’m not saying this because he is my son but because everyone deserved to defend their actions. I know how much he suffered these past few years knowing that he had a child he didn’t have a chance to know. I know you have your reasons, too. Just please talk it out. I don’t want Minkyung to suffer. She’s such a sweet child and she deserved the best.”  

*******************************************

Tao was on the edge. First, Sehun didn’t return to China as she promised. Two, she’s not answering his calls or his messages. Three, the matter of choosing the next empress was more pressing than ever. The Parliament thought that it was more important than his country being in hot water because of fake rice, fake noodles and territory disputes with other nations.

Months after he ascended to the throne, they thought his period of mourning was over and that he should focus on the next happy celebration the people should remember. He already said his mother was capable enough to do the duties as an Empress Dowager but they all refused to listen. For them, the idea of Zian getting married before him was preposterous. Siring an heir was more important.

And although they didn’t say anything of the matter, he knew his family was thinking the same thing. He was at a loss. He knew he had no one to turn to but Sehun. And she’s nowhere to be found. She’s the only reason he’s still sane.

He dipped his hand into the inner pocket of his coat. He pulled out a tiny red box. The gemstone deflected the light. It was his great grandmother’s engagement ring. It was passed on to the eldest son of every third generation. The rectangular pink diamond was a gift from an Indian Maharaja to the Emperor many years ago and was recorded to have the highest refractive index of all pink diamonds in existence. It was given to his great grandfather so he can give it to his future wife and now he was the rightful owner of the ring.

He wanted Sehun to wear the ring to tell the world that she was his as much as he was hers. They were happy. In fact, he felt a sense of normalcy for once when she was around. He felt like an ordinary human being capable of normal feelings and relationships. What could have happened to change her mind?

*******************************************

“Where is the girl?” A regal woman in her early fifties entered the room. Men in generic suits all bowed in respect.

“Good afternoon, Madam.”

“I have no time for nonsense pleasantries. Where is she?” She asked again, tone menacing. A door to the right of the huge salon opened and two more men in suits came out, dragging a young teenager. She was thrashing and shouting in a different language nobody can understand. She was brought in front of the older woman and she froze.

It was her first time to see another woman in ages. She was kept in a windowless room, was fed through a hole and occasionally, different men in black suits came in to force her to shower and to drug her. As for what kind of drug, she had no idea.

“Como vai, Olivia?” She asked, clearly sizing up the teenager. She paid a great price to find the girl and she wanted to see her money’s worth.

“Quem é você?” She spat. She’s was so tired and she’s ready to die. If only she can make sure her brother was in good hands.

“Não importa. But I can help you find your brother.” She smirked. “That is, if you’re nice enough to help me.”

A/N2: Any guesses as to who this Madam is? ;)