City Smile

"Young sire, do you own this place?" Ang asked as he dragged his eyes to examine the room. They were in an old small house in the outskirts of City Smile and judging by their whole set up, it seemed that no one was expecting them to be there. The house was clean and tidy though yet Ziggy had to destroy some locks for them to get inside.

​​

"Not yet," Ziggy replied, "I thought of buying this place after what happened to my lab but I wasn't able to close the deal yet,"

"You mean we are trespassers here?" Ang concluded.

"Technically," Ziggy sighed, "I thought of buying this property because aside from its pretty cheap, it has this underground room I thought of making as a secret lab,"

"Would not the owners know—"

"The owners had long migrated abroad. They thought of selling this place but because of the location, it got stuck in the market with no buyers until I saw it," Ziggy explained, "There's a caretaker though who holds the key but he rarely comes because he had been sick and his family recently brought him to the capital for further medications,"

"I see,"

"For the meantime, we should be safe here until I find somewhere else we can stay," Ziggy told, "I'm sorry Ang, I was left with no time to find a place for us and with the current situation we are in, I'm afraid going to the Shuns or any friends we know is dangerous,"

"I totally understand young sire," Ang assured him although truth was that he was not comfortable to sleeping in the underground room because he felt like he was being buried alive. "This is better than nothing, besides the most important thing is that no one knows we are here,"

"Yes," Ziggy agreed, "I negotiated this place alone and told no one yet. Also although this place is small, it has the basic things we need and enough electricity to support the incubators. Let's just endure it for some time,"

"Don't worry about me young sire, I'm used to things like this," Ang cheered him up, "I'll rest well so I can recover fully, by then I can help you and the Little Miss. By the way, what are your plans after here,"

"We need to leave the country Ang, immediately," Ziggy told him with an expression that contained some hopes, "We have to leave before anyone knows about the children. We'll take few days to rest and gather our strength. After that, I'll make preparations for us,"

"As you say so youngest sire,"

***

Present Day

Collet was out with her friends. Things were a little suffocating in the L Empire's marble mansion especially that President Manuel, Darryl's father, had been pressuring her of suing her sister. She had taken actions already but until then, she had not filed a formal suit yet because she was afraid that Darryl will be mad at her. She had to plan well how to get back on Xhemin without making Darryl mad and so she had taken her moves carefully.

"How's life in the marble mansion? Are you enjoying the Lagdameo maids calling you as one of the Miss of the house?" It was Barbara who teased her. Although some rumours about Darryl and Xhemin's relationship had been going around, Collet denied it thoroughly with her friends and told that their marriage will just be a little delayed because of the chaos between L Empire and LGC brought by the coming of her sister. She told them Xhemin had been pressuring L Empire and so Darryl must keep his focus on business straight.

"Of course she is enjoying the maids," Laureen intervened while sipping a cup of special flavoured milk tea. The group were on a café, having a break from their shopping spree. "Darryl never attends to her so she had no choice to keep the maids company,"

"Shut up Laureen," Collet grimaced upon hearing her, "Why do pick at me all the time? Are you jealous of me? Of course you are, after all I'm still an heiress of a top company while you are an heiress of… what rank is your company again? I heard your company's rank dropped from last months,"

"I'm not jealous of you!" Lauren snapped back and took another sip of her milk tea, trying to avoid further confrontations.

"Collet I'm just wondering," Barbara spoke again, "Since you sister is here and had been managing the entire LGC, can you still… you know spend as much as before?"

"Of course I am!" Collet glared at her feeling insulted upon her question, "I'm still my father's daughter after all and besides, even if my sister is here, I'm entitled to half of LGC,"

"I'm sorry for asking," Barbara replied, "My mother just mentioned that your sister cut off some black cards privileges and I became worried about you immediately,"

"Barbara, you should worry yourself not me," Collet replied, faking a smile, "I am soon to be Dee's wife once and once that happens, I might not even need my LGC inheritance. I'm sure my Dee will wipe them out for good,"

"Yeah you might be right," Barbara agreed even when she had her own doubts. Truth was, she was genuinely worried about Collet specially with the fact that she do not have some financial discipline and her spending habits were always outrageous.

"You know what, I'm real bored here," Collet dropped her own drinks already, "I'll go and check out some sunnies,"

"I heard Sunshine brand has new collection," Another friend of them exclaimed.

"Yeah let's go and check that one out," Barbara agreed while Collet picked up her purse and flaunted her black card for everyone to see. She intentionally displayed it to them to negate all their beliefs about her financial status.

Collet then made a cue and a waiter came with their bill. Collet gave him her black card that of course made the waiter's eyes shone with great bliss. Black cards are rare and the bearers of it are sure as rich as heavens.

"I'll pay for everything here," Collet announced and the waiter left with her black card with a big smile. However, just after few minutes, he came back with another expression far from what he wore just recently.

"Miss I'm sorry but your card has been denied," He told with a hard expression and suspicious eyes.

"Try it again," Collet demanded, "I'm sure there is just a slight mistake,"

'I'm sorry Miss but we tried already, a couple of times," The waiter revealed, "And if you do not have any other card to pay up for what you ordered, my manager suggest you should pay in cash,"

"Idiot! Heiress like me do not bring any cash," Collet who was thoroughly annoyed and insulted with the waiter couldn't help but shout, "Do you even know me? I'm "

"Shhhhhh," Barbara cut her immediately, "We are in a public elite place, calm yourself up,"

"Take my card instead," Lauren offered and turned to Barbara as if begging her to take Collet away. They were in a socialite café and to have a card rejected at there was twice shameful than being rejected in an ordinary café.