''That's Mimi Song'' Natalie said, recognising the figure immediately.

''What is she doing here?'' Mikael got down from the car and Natalie followed.

Mimi turned to go to her car and saw Mikael and Natalie. She looked at their matching shirts and chuckled.

''You now wear couple shirts? I can't believe what I am seeing''

''What do you want here? Are you not satisfied with what has happened to you so far?'' Mikael asked.

''Actually, I came to confirm something. You suddenly stole all my projects and gave them to Alice. When Thomas Sun was alive, he always protected Alice Jun and now you are also protecting her. I did a lot of thinking and I still couldn't understand. There was something missing in all of the chessboard, so I set out to find the missing piece and guess what I found?''

Mimi chuckled and looked at Natalie. ''Natalie and Alice share the same surname. And every time something happens to Natalie, Alice becomes agitated. She would play pranks on me and I used not to understand..."

''But…'' she looked at Natalie's clenched hands and chuckled. ''I now do. I found something quite interesting. I wonder why I didn't connect those two things together and allowed myself to be played and fooled for so long.

Big sister, it turns out you and Alice are indeed related. Whoa, such explosive news! Tsk tsk! How did I miss it all when it was glaring at me in the face? I'm speechless. you really did a meticulous job in keeping the secret under wraps. I wonder what people will say once the news of your relationship comes out? Does mom know? That your father got married again with another woman and Alice is the result of that marriage?''

''Hey! Shut up!'' Natalie screamed at Mimi.

''That being said. I now know. Alice and you are related. She is your half-sister and you have been protecting her all this while''

''So?'' Mikael asked.

''So, if you want this information to stay with the three of us, then, hand over my projects to me''

''What makes you think you can make a deal with me?''

''Natalie is scared about the world finding out she is related to Alice. It will destroy Alice's reputation as an actress because her sister has mental health issues''

''Don't cross the line or I will make sure you eat your own words. I will make sure you don't get to touch a single project''

''Based on what reason? I love acting and I am passionate about it. You can try to harm me, but don't forget that I am also from the Song family and we are equally powerful in this city. Natalie, I will give you a few days to think about my proposal. If after three days I don't hear any news, I will take it that you want me to release the evidence I have in my hands, which includes, your medical documents'' Mimi looked at them and chuckled, 'couple shirts, ridiculous''

''Let's go'' Mikael said and pulled Natalie back to the car.

Mikael handed Natalie a glass of water when they got to hall. He was worried about her silence.

''Five years ago, I was a bubbly girl who was happy with my life as a final year student at the university'' Natalie started talking and Mikael sat across her listening patiently.

''What did I do wrong for me to encounter such continuous series of misfortunes?' Natalie chuckled. ''When my mother left, it was just me and my dad. It wasn't easy for us at first, so my father sent me to my mom. I stayed with the Songs, whom I despised so much for three years and my father came back for me. That was when we moved into your old neighbourhood and then I met Thomas and you''

''It was Alice's first audition and she needed me to be there. I promised her I would be there. I wanted to get her a book she loved to read so much. I kept tabs on the book for a long time and when it finally came out, I got a call from the librarian so I rushed there to get the book before going to meet Alice. I don't remember what happened next. Everywhere was so dark and I couldn't see anything. I became unconscious and till now, I don't remember what really happened to me back then''

''You don't have to force yourself to remember if you can't'' Mikael touched her hands, holding them closer, ''it is okay to not remember right now. What matters the most is that, from now things are going to change. You are going to be strong. I will help you''

''Really? I want to be strong but I just keep breaking down in front of them. It's almost like I can't control my reaction especially with Mimi Song''

''Natie, do you trust me?''

Natalie nodded her head, ''I do''

''I am going to turn you into someone confident and together, we will get back at the people that made your life difficult''

Natalie smiled and stood up. ''First, let Mimi do her worse. Let her tell the world, Alice and I are related. I don't care and I don't want to keep hiding the truth''

''Then, let's do something that will make her plans look stupid'' Mikael smirked.

''What are you planning?''

''Let's leak the truth out tonight''

''That's a good idea. I will call Alice''

''Wait'' Mikael stood up and pulled her into a hug which surprised her.

''Em, Mikael… you…'' Natalie's face turned red as she blushed.

''I thought you might need a hug that's all. Natie, I have something to tell you after we break the news about your relationship with Alice''

''What is it?''

''After everything''

''Okay''

….

Alice yawned as she picked up the phone that was ringing on the table. ''Who is tired of living? Calling me at this time of the night''

''Hello, big sis? Xia?'' Alice robbed her eyes as she looked into the facetime.

''Girls, I have something to tell you. I don't want you to be so surprised. Xia I sent you some documents. Check your email and make sure you write a good article that would be able to reach everywhere in the entire country''

''Natalie, when you speak like this, I get scared. what's going on?'' Xia asked over the facetime.

''Well, I decided to reveal my relationship with Alice to the world''

''What?''

''What?''

Alice and Xia screamed as they simultaneously got down from their beds.

''I'm on my way to your house'' Xia said.

''Me too''

….

''Well, that was fast'' Natalie said looking at the phone. She turned and saw Mikael walking out of the gym in the house with a towel wiping his face. She paused and looked at him. Her face turned red as the memory of when he kissed her cheek came to mind. she immediately looked away.

''Natie, did you call them?'' Mikael asked as he walked closer to her.

''Oh, I did. But, it seems they are coming here'' Natalie said and turned away when he walked pass her to the kitchen.

''Really? I guess they must be thinking you've gone crazy'' Mikael chuckled as he picked the kettle to pour himself a cup of tea.

''Can I ask you something?'' Natalie said turning to look at him.

''Mm, go ahead Natie'' he sipped the tea and looked at her attentively.

''You know… since a while ago. You've been calling me Natie. Why are you calling me Natie?'' Natalie bit her lips as she asked. Her cheeks and ears became red.

Mikael smiled and walked towards her. She moved back when he got closer to her. ''So, don't you like it when I call you, Natie? I wanted to call you by a name only I can use''

''Huh? Why?''

''Mm'' Mikael pouted his lips and said, ''why don't you find that out?''

Natalie looked at him with a puzzled gaze and spoke. ''Your gaze… I keep having this weird feeling that you are trying to seduce me. Do you like me?''

''Why don't you find out, Natie? This is as far as I can go, if you don't take the next step closer, then I will assume that it was all in my head'' they both looked at each other for a while before they heard noise at the door and turned.

''Natalie''

''Big sis'' both Alice and Xia entered the hall and saw them.

''That was fast'' Mikael said as he walked towards his bedroom.

''Wait, wait'' Alice stopped him midway and asked, ''my sister… is she alright?''

''She is better than you'' Mikael said and smirked as he went to his room.

''Okay, Nat, you need to explain things clearly to us'' Xia pulled Natalie to the hall, ''what made you come to such a drastic decision?''

''Mimi Song. She found out somehow that Alice and I are related and threatened to leak it out. I thought I should do that myself so that she won't have anything to say again''

''That sly bitch. How did she find that out?'' Alice asked frowning.

''So, you came to this decision. I am thinking that, Mikael has something to do with it, right?'' Xia asked.