Lily (20)

The sudden change in personality stunned Iris. She could only stare at the little girl that no longer looked as innocent as a moment ago. 'What—'

The doorbell rang again, and Iris reluctantly left the room. This had come out of left field, and now she was totally lost. Had the girl been pretending all along? But why? And how? She was just six years old!

While thinking about it, Iris unlocked the door and let in the two parents. They glanced past her, searching for Lily, and after not seeing her called out her name. But as she had promised, Lily didn't answer. There was not a sound from her room.

"Where is she?" the father demanded, finally taking the time to look at Iris. His gaze slid down her casual cheap clothes and a sneer formed on his face. "Where's my daughter?"

"Please sit down on the sofa, Gale will be here soon," she said while pointing at the living room.

The mother took a step forward then, coming to stand right in front of Iris. "Calling him by name? So you're not a nanny but one of his women?" Her features twisted with disdain. "His standards have fallen. You don't have anything going for you besides your youth."

The jabs made Iris' smile twitch. She knew she wasn't Miss Universe, but was there really a need to admonish her on their first meeting? It wasn't even like she and Gale had anything going between them. If not for Kyro, she wouldn't even be here. And Lily, now that she had come to know the little girl.

"Please sit down and wait a few minutes, I promise it won't take long. Do you want tea or something?"

Her words were treated as empty space. Father began to inspect the room while mother kept staring at Iris with judgmental eyes. There was clear distaste in them, and at one point, the woman's lip even curled up from how deep that emotion ran.

'I hope Gale comes here soon, I won't survive much longer with these crazy people.'

In Iris' mind, there was no doubt about their craziness. They could just take a few steps down the corridor and go to their daughter, but they didn't. Just like Lily simply agreed to not come out, these two people didn't go to her upon hearing that Gale was coming for them. The family dynamic here lacked any sense.

After around half an hour, the door was thrown open, and Gale strode in followed by Kyro. The two men looked anything but happy, and their gazes instantly focused on the couple lounging on the sofa. No one spared Iris even a glance.

'I can live with that.' She swiftly left the room and went to Lily. The girl was still on the bed, but the phone was put next to her. Once Gale said a curt greeting, Lily crawled off the bed and sneaked to the doorway.

When Iris gave her a puzzled glanced, the girl put a finger to her lips and extended her ear to listen to the conversation outside. Understanding dawning on Iris, she also made herself comfortable for eavesdropping.

"What do you plan to achieve by coming here?" Gale asked in a voice as warm as an iceberg.

His mother laughed at him. "To make you aware of your situation. You're never going to take her away from us. Stop your pointless struggles and return."

"Pointless you say? I think I'm doing pretty well."

"Have you been lying to him?" father asked, aiming this question clearly not at Gale, but Kyro didn't say anything. "You've got no case, child."

"You're just wasting our time, and your own," mother added. She didn't even pretend at politeness. Her tone was sharp-edged and with the goal to cut.

But Gale couldn't be affected by just this. He should have gotten used to such stuff throughout the years, or so Iris reasoned. But his next words weren't controlled. They reeked of anger and barely suppressed need to lash out.

"Good. It was always my favorite pastime."

"Careful, child, you'll fall if you reach for too much," mother cautioned, her nails clicking against the table.

A light sound came from nearby, and Iris raised her eyes to see that Lily was clutching onto the door frame like it was all that held her still. With tightly pressed lips, she was staring into the wall before herself, her mind clearly on something else.

At this moment, father tried to get the conversation back on track. "Gale, go back home. You're past your rebellious age and should stop acting out. It's unbecoming of you."

"We've taught you better," mother threw in, and Iris could almost see father groaning from his wife stirring the fire he tried to put out.

"Friendship is nothing in the face of family. Haven't you been burned enough?"

"Due to you," Gale finally answered, raising up from the sofa. "Was there even one time I was abandoned not because of your actions? Don't think so." He went to the door and opened it. "Leave. I've heard enough of your nonsense today."

There was a shuffle of clothes as the parents stood up without resistance. "Without us, you've got nobody on your side, never forget that," mother told him on her way out, laughing at something only she could understand.

Once the two left, Gale sighed. He started walking in the direction of his sister's room, so Iris and Lily rushed to the bed to pretend like they'd been busy with their own things. But Gale didn't reach them.

"How much do you trust me?" Kyro asked from the living room, and Gale stopped. He didn't say anything, so Kyro continued. "They're right in that we've got no chance."

"What are you thinking to do?" There was wariness in Gale's voice.

Kyro stood up and went to the door that had been closed but not yet locked. "Exactly what they suggested, to backstab you. In an hour's time, I'll have the last vote I need to kick you out of the board of directors, and then you'll be out of Dioscuri."

"Don't joke—"

"I'm not. I've been looking for a chance for a while, and you've given it to me with your inattentiveness the last few days. Thanks for all, but I prefer to rule alone. Sayonara."

With that, he left the apartment and Gale that stood frozen on the spot. Iris couldn't see his expression from the corridor, but she was certain that it mirrored the confusion and disbelief present on her own.

What exactly did she just witness?