Even when they reached the second floor, Donna would turn around from time to time and peep downstairs.
When the living room was finally out of sight, she said unhappily, “Nelly , why were you in such a hurry to leave?”
“Why? Do you have anything left to do there?”
“No, but aren't they Daddy's friends? We can just chat with them.”
“Were you really hoping to chat with them, or did you want to stay there to keep on taunting someone?” Nelly probed.
Donna stopped in her tracks and peeked at Nelly . “Nelly , you... noticed?”
“You and Alpha Kilian were being so obvious. How could I not notice?” Nelly gazed down at the girl and added, “Darling, huh? Don't you find it cheesy?”
Donna giggled at that. “Why? Am I not your darling?” “Stop it. I'm cringing,” Nelly said as she walked forward.
Knowing that Nelly hated cheesy stuff, Donna grinned. “Nelly , isn't it nice of Daddy to cooperate with me? Are you happy?”
Nelly did not answer her questions.
“I'm sure Daddy played along because he sensed something too.” Donna continued to mutter. She
raised her head to look at Nelly and reminded, “Nelly , I hope you don't mind me saying this, but you should be careful. It's nice that Daddy is self-aware, but you have to put up your guard as well. She even came all the way here, yet you still look like you don't care.”
Hearing that, Nelly glanced at her. “How should I put up my guard?” “Um... You should at least teach her a lesson, shouldn't you?” Donna said. “How do I do that when she didn't even do anything?”
“What do you mean she didn't do anything? Alpha Mike and Alpha Luke both treated you with respect, but she didn't. She's blatantly provoking you!” Donna claimed.
In response, Nelly chuckled and pushed the door open before walking into the room.
At the sight of Nelly 's unbothered attitude, Donna ran forward and stood in her way. “Nelly !” Left with no choice, Nelly told her, “All right, I got it.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Nelly nodded.
“Then what should you do next time?” Donna prompted. “Kill her?”
“Nelly !” Donna exclaimed in frustration when she realized Nelly still wasn't taking this matter seriously.
Nelly laughed at her reaction and assured her, “Okay, I got it. Don't worry. I know what to do.” “That better be the case,” Donna grumbled with a worried pout.
“All right, that's enough. Go and play with Thalia for a while. I'm going to take a bath and nap.”
Donna knew that Nelly had a weak body. Not wanting to tire her mother out, she turned around and walked to the door without any complaints.
“Rest well,” she voiced.
“Okay,” replied Nelly without even turning to look at her. Donna stood by the door, gazing at Nelly 's back helplessly.
Nelly has never cared much about things like this, so it's unlikely she'll listen to me. Good thing they have a clever daughter like me! I guess I should just take things into my own hands.
At that thought, Donna spun on her heels and walked away. The conversation downstairs lasted for more than an hour.
When it was time for the trio to leave, Mike expressed, “Dave, Boss, we'll head back to prepare what's needed. As for the other matters, we'll wait for your updates.”
Alpha Kilian bobbed his head in return. “We'll visit again another day.”
“Do you actually think you can come here anytime you want to?” Dave quipped.
Right away, Mike started throwing compliments. “Dave, I know you're the most generous man ever!”
“Don't you try to butter me up.”
“Dave is saying that you can come here without having to butter him up,” Luke interjected. “That's what I thought so, too.”
“Thanks, Dave.”
The two men's antics got an exasperated laugh out of Dave.
“All right, we're leaving,” Mike said at last, to which Dave responded with a nod. The former then urged, “Let's go, Alexia.”
However, Alexia stayed rooted to her spot and turned to Alpha Kilian . “My savior, I have something to tell you.”
Upon hearing that, Alpha Kilian stared at her.
As Mike and Luke looked back and forth between Alpha Kilian and Alexia, they seemed to figure out something. “Alexia, we're at Dave's house,” one of them reminded.
“I'll be quick,” Alexia insisted. She just had to get some things off her chest.
“Alexia—” Mike was about to persuade her, but Alpha Kilian 's voice cut him off. “Go ahead and say it.”
“Because if you do that, it might make her unhappy,” uttered Alpha Kilian in his deep magnetic voice. “And I don't want that to happen.”
Alexia looked at the man with hope in her eyes but became somewhat disappointed when she heard his response. “Are you talking about Ms. Jackson ?”
“Yes,” replied Alpha Kilian with a nod, and suddenly, she was rendered speechless.
Since the mixed-blood young woman kept silent, he continued, “With that said, I hope you understand that your desire to repay my kindness may cause me inconvenience. I really do not need it, Ms. Harper.”
A glint of sadness flashed across Alexia's eyes as soon as Alpha Kilian finished his sentence. “How would I cause you any inconvenience? I'm just trying to repay you...”
However, he did not bother trying to make her understand. “Ms. Harper, you're still young, so there are some things you won't understand. Now that you have another chance at life, you should make the best of it instead of wasting your time on someone who doesn't matter.”
Looking at Alpha Kilian , Alexia wanted to say something, but her mind was utterly blank. Even though she had spent countless nights imagining how the conversation would go, she was still unprepared for how it actually turned out.
“It's getting late. Mike and Luke are still waiting for you. You should head back,” voiced Alpha Kilian .
Alexia slowly walked away after nodding distractedly at him, still somewhat confused and heartbroken because of his words.
“What's wrong, Alexia? Are you okay?” inquired Mike when she reached the car. Alexia shook her head in response, so he urged, “Come on. Get in!”
Before getting into the vehicle, she turned to look in the direction of where she and Alpha Kilian talked, but the man was already gone.
Disappointment flitted across her eyes again after she looked around but to no avail.
“Alexia?” Only after Luke called out to her did she retract her gaze in resignation, look at them, and enter the car.
Mike drove out of the castle immediately.
During the ride, Alexia did not utter a single word.
At that moment, he looked at her through the rearview mirror and asked, “Alexia, are you still thinking about Boss?”
However, she simply met his gaze with complete silence.
“I know you've always wanted to repay Boss' kindness, but from what I know about him, he'll surely tell you that it's unnecessary,” Mike explained.
Hope suddenly sparkled in Alexia's eyes when she heard his words. “How did you know that?”
“How would I not? I've known Boss for many years, so I'm well aware of the way he thinks and acts,” he stated proudly.
After some thought, she leaned in to inquire, “Then do you know how to make him not reject me?”
“Uh...” Mike was stunned by the question.
“I thought you said you knew him well. Do you have no idea either?” Alexia continued to pressure him for an answer.
“It's not that I have no idea; I just don't know what to tell you. Shouldn't you be glad that Boss didn't want you to repay him? Why would you insist on doing so?” he questioned.
Furrowing her eyebrows at the topic, she replied softly, “This goal is the only thing keeping me going. I would've died countless times if I weren't motivated by it. I don't know what I'd do without it...”
Mike and the others all knew how she was left alone after her family died tragically and that Alpha Kilian was the only reason she joined DX Group. Over the past few years, the young woman had mentioned wanting to repay the man on more than one occasion.
Even though Mike did not realize it before, he suddenly learned then that Alpha Kilian was the one who motivated Alexia to keep living.
However, nobody expected that things would take such a turn. Looking at the young woman, Mike uttered, “Alexia, you're not...” “Not what?” questioned Alexia, raising her gaze to look at him.
However, he pursed his lips and decided to hold his tongue. She's only nineteen! “Nothing!” he said at last, which only made Alexia knit her eyebrows tighter. “So, do you know or not? Or were you just bluffing?” she demanded.
“Why would you say that? I'm a senior to you, aren't I? At least show me some respect!” voiced Mike. “Of course, I know. Couldn't you tell that Boss was upset?”
“Upset?” After thinking for a while, she nodded in agreement. “I guess he did seem a little upset. Was he mad at me?”
“Who else, if not you?” he asked rhetorically. “But why?” I didn't do anything wrong, though.
Glancing at her through the rearview mirror again, Mike replied, “Alexia, we all greeted Nelly when we saw her today, but why didn't you?”