The three Virellano girls were still filled with anxiety as they clung to their mother. Even Vianna, who had acted quite bravely earlier that morning, couldn't deny how nerve-racking the whole ordeal had been. Their embrace was so tight it was as if they refused to let go. Their bodies—especially Aurielle's—were still trembling slightly, and their breaths had yet to return to normal after everything that had happened.

"Calm down, calm down. Everything's fine now," Sandra whispered in a soothing tone, though her own anxiety was just as heavy as her daughters.

Her eyes were still a little swollen from crying earlier inside the bunker. Her voice quivered faintly as her hand stroked Aurielle's hair and Clarista's back in turn, as though she was trying to transfer a sense of safety she hadn't yet found for herself.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked David, his voice deep and steady, though the thin layer of worry underneath couldn't be hidden.

"I'm fine, Dad. Thankfully, Sister Vianna arrived just in time," David answered confidently. But his expression was strange. His eyes occasionally darted into the distance, cold sweat trailing down his temple. His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his shirt, as if trying to suppress something inside.

Edward followed his son's gaze—and clearly saw Al walking toward the main gate with two girls at his side. Al looked calm, his steps leisurely, a stark contrast to the tense aura still hanging over the family in the courtyard.

"That's Al, isn't it? Who's with him?" Edward asked, his brows furrowing and eyes narrowing as he tried to make out the figures walking beside his son.

Sandra, having just released her daughters from her arms, turned to look as well. The three Virellano girls followed her gaze, as did David—though he stiffened slightly when their father brought it up so suddenly. The atmosphere, which had been thick with anxiety, quickly shifted into a mix of curiosity and confusion; all heads turned in the same direction.

"That's Yura Atenri, Father… and one of her friends, though I don't know who," Aurielle replied casually, sneaking a quick glance at David. Her casual tone felt a little forced, while the corner of her eye caught the subtle shift in David's expression.

"Yura Atenri?" Edward muttered, his confusion clear. "The daughter of the Atenri family? If I'm not mistaken, she's supposed to be abroad right now." His voice pitched half an octave higher, disbelief ringing in every word.

"What is she doing here, and with Al of all people?" Sandra asked, equally baffled. She instinctively gripped Aurielle's hand, her eyes blinking rapidly as though searching for answers in her daughter's face.

"Ah… well…" Aurielle hesitated, glancing at David before continuing. "She… claimed to be Al's girlfriend and came to visit him." She spoke carefully, pausing between words as if afraid their parents might explode at any second.

"What? Girlfriend?" Both Edward and Sandra were stunned. Their eyes widened, and Sandra even reflexively covered her mouth with her hand, as though trying to stop a scream.

"Am I hearing this right? Are you serious, Aurielle?" Edward pressed for confirmation.

Aurielle nodded.

"Yura admitted it herself," Vianna added firmly, though her fingers interlocked tightly as if anchoring herself.

Meanwhile, Clarista remained silent, her sharp gaze locked on David—her eyes full of unspoken meaning, as though trying to read his heart.

David simply turned his face away, unwilling to join the conversation. His jaw tightened, his lips pressed thin. It was obvious he was suppressing something within himself.

"How is this possible? Why does it feel so strange?" Edward muttered, truly bewildered. He rubbed his face roughly, as if trying to convince himself he wasn't hallucinating.

"Since when were they dating? And how could this even happen?" Sandra asked in a weakened voice, almost like a whisper, heavy with disbelief.

Aurielle and Vianna only shook their heads, while Clarista offered no answer. No one knew the truth, and silence fell over them once more. Only the sound of held breaths and the whisper of the evening wind carrying dust across the courtyard filled the air.

Edward and Sandra were equally confused, though strangely enough, a faint sense of pride stirred within them. Yet they also knew that this girl—Yura—was not someone easily accepted as a daughter-in-law, given her infamous reputation for cruelty and brutality, especially among the elites of Makazhar City.

That pride was mixed with dread—proud that their son had managed to attract someone so renowned, but terrified because that person was Yura.

Sandra knew enough about that girl and remembered how David used to talk about her. She knew that David once had feelings for her, though back then she could never accept the two of them being together.

First, because they were still too young.

Second, because of Yura's own reputation.

And third, because David had already been engaged to Nayala—the official fiancée he had before Al was revealed to still be alive.

The memory stung, as if a blade pierced her chest from within.

Sandra glanced at David for a moment, catching the unpleasant shift in his expression. She could only assume he still had lingering feelings for that girl. But what could she do? Two of the three reasons still stood, and now a new one had emerged: her own biological son, Al, was already dating Yura.

A strange heaviness formed in her heart, as if the two boys were destined to oppose each other. All she could do was exhale quietly, steeling herself to at least try to remain fair between them—especially if it was just about matters of love.

Yet another thought crossed her mind: should she allow her youngest son, Al, to be with someone branded with such a cruel reputation? With Al, it felt like such a relationship could only end in disaster—an oppressive force against a wild spirit that refused to be tamed.

Silence hung between them, so heavy that even the rustle of leaves in the breeze sounded sharp in their ears.

Until finally, Clarista spoke.

"Dad... Do you… think Al has openly been using the family name to chase after women outside? How else could he aim for and actually win someone like Yura if not by relying on it?"

The question made Edward's brows twitch, and Sandra stiffened as well. The one secretly delighted was David. Here was fuel to drag Al down further, without him even needing to lift a finger. The corners of his lips almost curved into a smile, but he forced himself to keep it hidden.

Vianna nodded in agreement, sharing her sister's suspicion. Aurielle, however, only gave Clarista a glance before shaking her head.

Clarista… Clarista… I know you hold prejudice against Al. But you couldn't even wait to throw that idea out here? Aurielle sighed inwardly. She too carried prejudice toward Al, yet at the end of the day, both he and Clarista were her younger siblings. As their older sister, seeing them at each other's throats still felt wrong.

So she stayed silent, watching. She wanted to see how their parents would respond—would they treat it as an advantage, or see it purely as a problem?

Edward fell into brief contemplation. The idea Clarista put forward irritated him if it were true.

Of course, it was actually fair for Al to admit outside that he was a Virellano, since that was the reality. What disappointed Edward more was the fact that he himself hadn't been able to make his son's status public, leaving him frustrated with his own shortcomings.

Still, he had already made it clear to Al: the boy was still under assessment. He was not to flaunt his status recklessly. If Al had done so, that meant defying Edward's authority. But… had he really? When Edward pieced everything together, it wasn't impossible to believe Clarista's suspicion might actually hold some truth.

What should I do? he wondered. He and Sandra had just spent so much time agonizing over their youngest son's life. Was he now supposed to confront him directly?

He turned to Sandra, only to find her eyes on him as well. She quickly averted her gaze, lowering her head in hesitation. Her fingers clutched the hem of her skirt, betraying her unease.

Edward let out a long breath, heavy and weary, as though trying to exhale the weight pressing down on his shoulders.

"Let's confirm it first. We'll wait for him here," he said calmly. For the first time, his tone toward negative news about Al carried a hint of coldness.

His composed response left Clarista and David—who had been brimming with fire—feeling faintly dissatisfied. Still, they could only nod and wait.

Meanwhile, David's mind raced, crafting all the possible answers and excuses that might surface, ensuring that this time, Al would be punished.

The air in the courtyard grew taut, like a thin string stretched to its breaking point—waiting for the moment Al returned to stand before them.

---

On the other side, Al, Yura, and Devy had already walked far from the main gate. They arrived at a luxury car parked along the main road. The morning air felt quieter here, with only the wind brushing against the leaves.

"Hmm… why did you park so far away? With your status, wouldn't it be easy to bring the car inside?" Al asked, raising an eyebrow. His tone was more curious than accusatory.

"I'm not in the mood to draw attention. We only came to take a look, to confirm whether you were really here, just as Rina told us," Yura replied flatly. Her voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp, like a blade trying to pierce through Al's surface.

Meanwhile, Devy had already stepped into the car. For a brief moment, her eyes met Al's before she looked away, slipping into her role. That fleeting look seemed to carry unspoken words, quickly masked by a neutral expression.

"Ah… so it was Rina who told you," Al said.

Yura nodded, her eyes still fixed sharply on him. Her face was nearly expressionless, yet there was a restrained curiosity hidden beneath her cold demeanor.

"What exactly is your status in this house? Why are you living here? You seem to hold quite a bit of power, even able to tease David and the others," she asked, her tone probing. Her lips curled slightly, but her eyes never left Al's face.

Al paused, weighing whether he really needed to explain—and if so, how much.

"Mmm… I…" he started, but suddenly something flickered in his senses. Something faint, something he had felt before yet never understood. His body tensed, pupils narrowing, his stance shifting instinctively like a wild cat sensing a predator.

He scanned his surroundings, but nothing unusual appeared. Still, the aura was similar to the creature he had once encountered in an alley months ago. His eyes darted to Devy, but she didn't seem to sense anything at all.

Yura noticed the subtle change in him, a faint crease forming on her brow. She could tell Al had shifted, even if she didn't know why.

When Al didn't answer properly, Yura exhaled softly. Her shoulders dropped ever so slightly, a flicker of disappointment flashing across her face.

"I thought you'd talk. Never mind… maybe it's private. As long as our business continues, that's enough," she said coolly, averting her gaze. Her tone was even colder than before, shutting down any room for conversation.

Al was left gaping slightly, his thoughts split. His fists clenched and then loosened as he remained in detection mode, unable to fully respond to Yura.

"I'll contact you later," Yura said, slipping her phone into a small handbag. "I can't stay here too long." She lifted her head and looked at him. That gaze carried a signal: cold on the surface, yet hiding something restrained deep inside.

"Give me your hand," she said, raising one of hers as though expecting something.

"Hm?" Al blinked, snapped out of his focus.

Yura lowered her hand, took Al's right hand, and placed it on her hair. She patted it lightly, her movement quick but not rough—an impulsive act, as if she hadn't planned it herself.

Al froze, eyes widening briefly at the strange gesture before settling back to normal.

"We're dating now. Since you want to do something weird like this, I'll let it slide this time. But from now on, ask permission. Got it?" she said. Her face turned slightly red, though her expression remained cold and severe. The last hint in her tone trembled faintly, betraying the embarrassment she was trying to mask.

Al stood there stunned, as did Devy in the car. Silence blanketed the scene, with only the whisper of wind weaving through the trees.

Finally, Al smiled, gently pressing down and brushing her hair once more. His smile was warm, contrasting with the tension between them. He let Yura have her way, though his mind was urging him to focus on something far more important.

Yura quickly brushed his hand away, turned, and stepped into the car. She didn't say much else, only a curt farewell.

"I'm leaving." Her face was neutral, her movements sharp and brisk, as if to cover the lingering embarrassment.

Al said nothing, letting things unfold as they were. His focus was already shifting back to that fleeting aura. His eyes sharpened, confusion giving way to vigilance.

"Alright," he replied casually, waving his hand in polite farewell.

Yura didn't respond. She didn't even turn back. Soon, their car pulled away, its taillights growing smaller until they vanished at the bend, leaving Al alone by the quiet roadside.

Once the car disappeared, Al's eyes hardened. He extended his senses far and wide, but the strange presence was completely gone—as if it had only appeared for a moment before vanishing. His brow furrowed, unease stirring in his chest.

"What exactly was that creature?" he muttered.

In the end, he brushed the thought aside. Just like before, it felt like chasing something that couldn't be found. And there were more pressing matters awaiting him at home.

He turned back toward the Virellano residence, each step heavy yet steady, as though bracing himself for something far more exhausting than battle—where the drama of his family awaited him.

---

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