Nicole fell silent. She indeed heard the answer which she always wished to know but... it wasn't what she expected!

What response did she expect? She didn't even have the answer! She didn't know what to say but Carson Jun was staring at her the whole time.

"I understand even if you don't believe me, Nicole. It won't be easy." The Chairman said, "However, I beg you to approve my request. Let me take the blame for everything." He pleaded once again.

"I don't understand you," Nicole murmured.

"I don't expect to be understood," Carson Jun promptly said. "However, you also have someone you love, right? You might be able to see it in a new light if you think it from that side."

Aston Kang. The name crossed Nicole Yang's mind. Then she was reminded of one thing. That fool had once told her that he will take all the blame even if she commits evil deeds to take down her stepmother. Once again, she was amazed by how similar Aston and Carson Jun were!

Devoted and loyal to the bones; even her taste in men was very similar to her stepmother! She hated to admit but it's the fact!

"I think my stepmother didn't tell you this," she spoke up again. "I'm willing to let go of everything if she helped me in taking down Colin Park. She already agreed to join hands with me and your request is not an issue anymore."

"I heard that," Carson Jun replied which made Nicole raised a brow. "You said to her that even if Colin Park exposed her, you will deny everything."

"Then why are you still bringing up this matter?"

"It's because Garcia is the type of person who never backs down once she made up her mind. Don't you figure it out from what I just told you? She can force herself to torment you for many years because she had mind up her mind to let your family pay. She is that kind of person. Even if she will be hurt, she will still do it once she made a decision." Carson Jun explained.

"Are you saying that she decided to pay for her crimes after helping me?" Nicole asked with disbelief written all over her face.

Carson Jun nodded. "That's why I asked to meet you without letting her know. You can say that I'm the one behind her. I forced her to do everything. Can you please do that without telling her?"

"She won't like that," Nicole argued. Even after hearing everything, she still thought that he didn't make sense. Must he go that far?

Carson Jun fell silent as he knew that Nicole was telling the truth. He narrowed his eyes and thought about it for a while before he turned back to the young Chairwoman. "Anyway, please think about it. There is still plenty of time." He muttered.

* * *

The sun had already set and Leon just entered the base of the Blackhood. Though it was never in his schedule to go there each day, he did it because was Shara was there.

What Aston said yesterday made him lost his sleep. He always knew that his father wasn't a good person but... he never thought that his father would go that far! Why did he kill Shara and Aston's father?! This question was driving the Young Master crazy!

"Young Master." It was Ryan who greeted him like always.

"Is Lester Yun's matter all settled?" Leon asked.

"Yes. We hand him over to the Government in the evening."

Leon sighed in relief. "That's great. Tell them to be cautious all the time. Someone is still eager to play a game."

"I understand." Ryan promptly replied with a lowered head.

"What about her?"

Ryan understood that he was asking about Shara and he responded by saying, "She's still the same. She didn't eat or respond even if I talk to her."

Leon Jung turned his head to the villa and nodded. "Alright. You can go now."

With that said, Ryan bowed and leave right away while Leon walked inside the villa.

The potter glanced at his watch and realized that it was almost time for dinner. He takes out some ingredients from the refrigerator in the villa and prepared something to eat for Shara. After everything was set, he walked down to the secret room.

When he walked inside the room, he saw Shara sitting on the floor in one corner just like yesterday. His eyes swept around the room and noticed that everything he sent over in the morning was left untouched. There was also a small bed in the room but it was clear that Shara never used it.

With a heavy heart, he walked to her and stood before her. "How long will you be like this?" He asked but there was no response. She didn't even attempt to look at him.

"Shara," he uttered, "Don't be like this. You know that everything I do is to protect you." His voice was desperate than ever. It was already hard enough for him to lock her up here but if she acted this way, it was pure torment for him!

Then again, he recalled what Aston said yesterday. Was it because of that? Did she hate him because his father killed her father?! Imagining her to hate him was the dreariest feeling he ever felt!

"What will I do to make up to you?" he muttered and she finally lifted her head to look at him. Her face screamed confusion. "I know that it will be no use to apologize but is there a way I could ease your pain? I'm feeling lost too, Shara."

"My father is such a monster but there's nothing I could do. It's not like I can choose my parents. I can't help the fact that his blood is running in my every vein! If possible... " he paused and took a deep breath before he added, "Do you know how much I wish for him not to be my father? I'd rather be an orphan than being born as his son!"

Shara abruptly stood up, staring at him with a horror face. What would she say? She never once blamed him but he got everything wrong!

"If you want, I will never see him again and cut him off completely. If he searched for me, I will run away to a place where he will never find me! If needed, I will even -"

He abruptly paused when he felt her hand on his arm. He lowered his eyes to met her gaze.

"Calm down," Shara muttered. As the one who knows him the best, she instantly figured out that he will lose his mind if he continued to talk with fear in his heart. He was never mentally stable due to all the wounds in his heart.

A few years ago, he once experienced a breakdown. He was rushed to the hospital as he took many sleeping pills with alcohol. He barely survived as he was found on time! Shara didn't want such a thing to happen again.

"Clear your mind first. It's not good for you to be too worked up." She calmly said, still grabbing his arm.

"Can you not hate me?" Leon pleaded in a low voice. "I can endure everything else but not that."

"I never hate you, Leon. You don't have to be scared as that will never happen." She wanted to calm him down and put him at ease first. However, she wasn't lying. No matter what happened, she was confident that she will never hate him. That's not possible.

"Are you telling the truth?" Leon asked. "My father killed your father and his death broke your family apart. You won't hate me even after that?" He sounded like a kid who needs to be assured and it's all because he was mentally unstable and the fear he felt triggered that.

Shara nodded. "You're right, Leon. It's not your fault that he is your father." She wondered if she would tell him the truth.

She indeed vowed to the Prime Minister that she would never reveal the truth to Leon but... he was more important to her than that vow. She didn't want him to live in pain just because he felt responsible for the crimes of the man who wasn't even his biological father. However, she observed him and noticed how unstable he was for now. It might be better to wait until he calms down.

"Don't be scared. No matter what, I won't hate you just because of your father. You have nothing to do with his crimes. You're innocent." Shara repeated and she instantly sensed how his fear was slowly replaced by a feeling of relief.

Standing still for a while, Leon was slowly back to his sense. He took a deep breath before he looked at Shara. "I heard that you still don't eat anything. I made some dishes for you. Will you come upstairs and eat it?"

Realizing that her behaviour and actions only put more weight on him who already had too much on his plates, Shara finally nodded with a little smile. "Alright. It's been a while since I last ate the dishes you made."