The luxury car had just driven away, carrying the two beautiful women and leaving Al behind. Inside the sleek two-seater, Yura sat quietly in the passenger seat while Devy handled the wheel with calm precision.

Devy glanced sideways at her companion for a brief moment. Yura's expression was sharp, her lips pressed into a faint frown as she stared straight ahead, refusing to let her emotions slip through.

"Are you alright, Yura?" Devy finally asked, her tone careful.

But Yura gave no answer. Silence stretched out between them.

The only sounds that filled the air were the low, steady hum of the engine and the bustling noise of Makazhar's morning streets. Even at such an early hour, the city was already alive with honking horns, vendors calling out, and pedestrians rushing toward their destinations.

Seeing Yura's refusal to respond, Devy didn't push further. Instead, she offered a faint, almost knowing smile and returned her focus to the road, letting the silence linger.

The car soon moved further and further away from the Virellano estate, blending into the main arteries of the city.

Then, after a long breathless pause, Yura finally exhaled. The sound was heavy, carrying tension, and the faint tremor in it betrayed her unstable mood.

"...Haaah." A single sigh escaped her lips, followed by a muttered, "Wow…"

Devy turned her head slightly, sensing that Yura was finally ready to speak.

Yura's gaze shifted toward Devy for a brief second. Her eyes were sharp, but her cheeks still carried a faint blush.

"Devy… tell me, what's wrong with me?"

Devy blinked in surprise. "Hmm? What do you mean?" she asked, still keeping her eyes on the road.

Yura looked back outside, staring at the passing buildings and bustling pedestrians. Her hand pressed against her chest, feeling the erratic beat of her heart.

"Why won't my heart stop racing? Am I sick? Do I need to go to the hospital?" she asked innocently, almost confused by her own body.

Devy let out a light laugh.

"You sound like someone who doesn't understand what love is," she teased lightly.

Yura's sharp gaze snapped toward her.

"Of course I know what love is. At least in theory. But… are you saying this is love? I admit I'm interested in that guy, but I thought it was only because he's… cute. Uhm… is this normal?"

Devy chuckled again. "Well, you've never been in a relationship before, right? Have you really never felt this toward anyone else? Not even another guy?"

Yura thought for a moment, then shook her head firmly.

"Never," she said flatly. "Have you ever felt it, Devy?"

"Me?" Devy blinked, startled by the sudden personal question.

"Mhm," Yura hummed softly, nodding as if urging her to answer.

Devy hesitated, but after a moment of consideration, she realized it wasn't something she needed to keep secret.

"I don't really know if I'd call it love," Devy admitted slowly. "But… yes, I've felt my heart beat faster. I've admired someone before. Maybe it was similar to what you're experiencing now."

Yura's eyes widened in excitement.

"Really? Can you tell me about it?" she asked eagerly.

Devy turned slightly, looking awkward. But after thinking for a bit, she gave in and explained.

"It was a long time ago, when I was still young. I don't even know how to describe it properly. Something happened, and I ended up being drawn to that person. Every day my heart would beat faster, even when I was just thinking about him. And when I actually saw him… it was even worse."

"Whoa… then, then what? Where is that person now? Did you two end up dating?" Yura leaned closer, her curiosity burning brighter.

Devy stopped the car at a red light. For a while, she chose silence. Only when the light turned green again and the car moved forward did she finally continue.

Her head shook slowly, her expression dimming with a tinge of sorrow.

"No… nothing came of it. Something happened, and I had to disappear. For a long time. An unreasonably long time… so long you wouldn't even believe me if I told you. And when I came back… that special feeling was already gone."

"Hm? Gone? Why? How could it just… disappear?" Yura asked, her voice softening, adjusting to Devy's somber tone.

"I don't know," Devy replied calmly. "Maybe time changed things. Maybe it was just a fleeting feeling that couldn't survive reality."

Yura gawked slightly, uncertain how to respond.

Devy went on, her voice more composed now. "You'll see soon enough how strong your excitement really is. If time passes, and even distance can't erase it, then maybe it's truly love. But if it fades away—even when you've spent a lot of time together—then it's nothing more than a temporary thrill, the kind of joy that eventually withers when we grow bored."

Yura nodded slowly. "You're right… maybe this is just the beginning. Maybe it's just the initial excitement."

Devy smiled faintly and added, "So make sure you understand where your feelings lead you before you take another step forward. Otherwise, you'll just waste your time on someone who isn't right for you. And that would only frustrate you… and him as well."

"Ugh, you sound like you've lived a long life full of experience. But aren't we basically the same age?" Yura grumbled with mild irritation.

Both of them laughed softly at the absurdity of the exchange.

Yura reached into her small handbag, pulling out her phone. She wanted to check whether Al had saved his contact.

But as she pulled it out, a sleek black card slipped from the pocket and fell onto her lap.

Her brows furrowed. She picked it up and examined it closely. It was the very same card she had given to Al last night—the one loaded with a large sum of money as payment for playing her fake boyfriend.

"Huh? Why did he give this back?" she muttered, baffled.

Devy glanced at it and frowned as well.

"Is he trying to cancel the agreement? Bold of him… Could all of this really be just because he sees me as arrogant?" Yura muttered with a hint of irritation, her fingers tightening around the card.

Devy herself had no idea how she was supposed to respond

Yura muttered angrily, "He kept calling me arrogant. Does he seriously think that? Is that really the reason?" Then she turned to Devy. "Devy, do I look arrogant to you?"

Devy was momentarily stunned, then laughed nervously.

"I… don't think you're arrogant. But maybe he does. People judge in their own ways, right?" she said. Then, wanting Yura to reflect, she added, "So what do you think yourself?"

Yura scowled. "Look... Even you agree I'm not arrogant. So why make a big deal out of it? He actually dared to return this much money just because he thinks I'm arrogant? Is he stupid?"

Devy paused, then something clicked in her mind.

"Maybe he is stupid. But Yura… aren't you forgetting something? We just saw him at the Virellano residence. Didn't you notice? He seems to have a connection there. What if… he's actually part of the Virellano family?"

The question made Yura freeze. Her thoughts drifted as she tried to process Devy's question before finally responding

"You're right. Why didn't I think of that?" she muttered. "If he really is part of the Virellanos, then what value could such a sum possibly hold for him? But wait—Rina didn't mention anything about that last night. And… aren't the Virellanos supposed to have only one son, David? Then who is he? An adopted child?"

Questions flooded her mind in rapid succession.

"I don't know. Maybe we should investigate further," Devy said. Her eyes gleamed with sharp interest. "But there's something else that bothers me…"

"What is it?" Yura asked, confused.

"Don't you think Al actually resembles the Virellanos' daughters? Strangely enough, it's David who looks different," Devy hinted.

Yura gasped and covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes widening in shock. Her mind began racing. She pictured Al's face, then compared it to Aurielle, Vianna, and Clarista. Indeed, there were similarities.

Then she thought of David. The contrast was undeniable—the details didn't match. His features, his coloring… even his eyes were different, a lighter brown compared to the others, while Al's were like polished black pearls, shining with depth, just like the Virellanos.

A chilling thought began to form in Yura's mind, and her body tensed at the implications.

"Devy… I think you're right. We need to investigate this. This could be… huge. Oh my god." She almost squealed with excitement.

Devy chuckled softly and nodded. She didn't know the truth yet, but all the clues seemed to point to something terribly off about the Virellano family—and especially about Al's real status.

Yura, meanwhile, sat in stunned silence, replaying the clues in her head until her thoughts gradually drifted back to reality.

She let out a deep breath and finally checked her phone.

Al's contact was indeed saved there. That fact alone lifted her mood. It meant Al wasn't truly rejecting her—he was simply negotiating, even if he had returned the money.

Relief washed over her, and a small smile curved her lips.

Her hands rose to the top of her head, and she remembered the moment Al had patted her gently. The memory sent her heart into a frenzy once again. Wild thoughts began to sprout in her mind: if Al truly was a Virellano, and if her feelings for him lasted, then marrying him would create one of the most monumental unions in Eastern Indorosia.

A wide smile broke across Yura's usually fierce face, one often known for cruelty and ruthlessness.

Devy caught that smile from the corner of her eye, feeling a pang of envy. But it quickly faded. Yura was precious to her, and as long as Yura was happy, she could be content. She smiled as well.

And so, their morning ended with a conspiracy hanging over them—one so large it eclipsed even the chaos they had just witnessed. Compared to that, Al's secret seemed far more important.

---

Back at the Virellano estate.

Al had just stepped into the courtyard when he noticed his entire family gathered on the garden benches.

His parents were there, along with three of his sisters, David, and Fani as well. Almost all of them turned to look at him from afar, their faces carrying strange, unreadable expressions.

It was as if trouble itself was already waiting to welcome him home.

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