Feeling my glare, Diego raised his head to look at me.

A thoughtful look passed his expression and seemingly deciding what to do, he approached me.

"Lili," He started, which only made me more angry. "Why don't you just show him?"

Oh yeah?

What good would it do me if I showed my scars from years ago?

How was he going to help me?

Was he even hearing himself?

"What's there to show?" I refuted. "It's just some petty marks."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of it?" Stephen said, crouching before the sofa while Diego occupied the empty space on my side.

I sighed in resignation. They already had me cornered. I knew when to give up on a fight.

Grabbing the corners of my sweatshirt, I took it off in one fluid movement.

I was only wearing a sports brassiere underneath, so it showed almost all the scars.

I was almost pleased at the sight of Stephen's wide eyes. He looked absolutely horrified as all the color drained from his face, much like Diego's did.

Guess, he can't foresee everything.

"Why are you smiling?" It was Ezra who asked this. He looked confused, a little lost but he still hadn't lost his cool like Diego and Stephen. I hadn't realized the corners of my lips had rised up.

There was nothing amusing about this situation.

So why was I smiling?

"Tell me who did this!" Stephen demanded, furious.

"Lili, just give us a name."Diego added, putting his arms around my shoulder for some reason, which after I resisted he took back again.

"I did this." I lied, just for the fun of it. As if I would tell them anything. "I was bored and thought why not."

"Aylin," Stephen called, trying his best to reign in his rage. "Who.did.this?" He enunciated.

"I told you, I did this." I shrugged. I was already used to his anger. He would get pissed over the slightest of issues.

Sometimes, I felt like Stephen was the one with anger issues, not Noah.

Stephen took a deep breath, his fists turning white from clenching them too hard.

"Aylin, the truth."

It was clear he was angry. Beyond angry. It would be wise not to piss him off further and just tell him the truth.

But then again, I never was wise.

"I-I don't know how or who did this." I lied effortlessly.

"A part of my memory is just blank.No matter how hard I try to remember I can't. I just can't." I scrunched my eyes in pain, my hand went to my forehead, rubbing it as I pretended to have a headache for trying too hard.

"It's okay, buttercup." Ezra soothed. "Don't put pressure on your mind. Its okay if you don't remember."

I heard a dry chuckle come from Stephen and directed my gaze at him. He was shaking, literally. His whole body trembling with rage.

"She lies and she lies," With one fluid movement, Stephen knocked over my study table, "And she lies!"

"Stephen, calm down!" Diego tried to stop him. It was rather ironic how just a few minutes prior I was the one calming him down.

Much to my disappointment, Stephen didn't listen but continued to aggressively throw the perfume bottles from my vanity table, breaking them into tiny pieces.

"All she does is lie!" He hissed,turning his bloodshot eyes to me.

I flinched back when the globe he threw against the wall made a loud crash.

"Stephen, stop it. You are scaring her," Diego repeated, putting his hands around my shoulder and for the first time I was grateful for the protection he provided me against Stephen's rage.

"Good. She should be scared." He spat, continuing to wreck havoc in my room. "At least then she will think twice before lying!"

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I was absolutely terrified at this scary side of Stephen.

Just within a span of five minutes, he had turned my room unrecognizable. It looked like a tsunami hit here, leaving only a trail of broken wood and glass.

When he was finally done destroying every corner, the previous fury in his eyes was gone. Rather, he looked helpless.

"Why won't you tell me anything, sweetheart? Have I not vowed to protect you?" He asked, sadness taking over his features. "Do you not trust me?"

It's not that I don't trust him. A part of me believed he would stand by me, no matter the sins I have committed. That he would still love me regardless of the things I had done to survive.

But another part, a much larger one, knew my sins were way out of the boundary of redemption. That he would only see me as a monster.

Undeserving of his love and affection.

If I give him an inch, he will ask for a mile. Telling him one part of my past would only lead him to figure the rest out.

Even the parts I would kill to keep hidden.

"Tell me who did this," He demanded in a gentle voice. "Please, I'm begging you, sweetheart."

Was it a trick to have me give in to him at his vulnerable sight?

"Are you?" I drawled out, tired of his tricks. "If you were begging, you'd be on your knees."

"Is that what you want?" He didn't wait for a response and dropped down on his knees before me.

I just said that as a comeback to his vulnerable act. I hadn't actually expected him to do that. He had too much pride to even think about bowing his head to anyone. Even if it's his sister.

Or so I thought.

"Sweetheart, who hurt you?" He asked, holding both my hands in his, hopeful I will give him answers.

As if.

"I already told you. I don't remember anything." I replied, avoiding looking directly in his eyes.

So what if he knew I was lying?

It's not like he can do anything. I know for a fact he won't hit me. Even if he did I wouldn't spill the truth.

Even if the world was ending, I would choose to conceal the truth.

But I had underestimated him.

I had forgotten the fact that Stephen would always outwit me.

"I see," He stated, his hands leaving mine. "If that's how you want to play."

I narrowed my eyes, what exactly was he planning?

I didn't have any weakness so there was no way he had an advantage over me. He can't even blackmail me about firing me from my job.

"Ezra," He addressed, his eyes still at me. "Bring Kai."

Ezra raised a brow at his sudden demand but without delay he went to bring him here. It didn't take him long to come back with Kai, considering Kai was waiting outside the door although he had stopped banging the door.

Why did he want Kai here?

Did he want Kai to question me so I wouldn't lie?

"I hope this will help you recall your memory."Stephen flashed me a smile before swinging his fist at his face.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed, my eyes widening at the sight of blood from Kai's busted lips.

"Stop hurting him!" Before I could get up and stop him from hitting Kai, Diego grabbed my arm, stopping my movements.

"Why are you hurting him? This has nothing to do with him!" I struggled against Diego's hold, my actions futile.

"Please, stop!" Stephen didn't hold back. Kai didn't even have a chance to retaliate against him with how fast Stephen kept attacking.

The fight was even more brutal and one sided compared to Diego and Kai's fight I had witnessed a few months back.

"Why are you just standing there? Do something! Stop him!" I yelled at Noah and Eve who was just standing there watching Kai getting hurt.

At my reminder, Eve finally seemed to realize she should stop them. She took a step forward to interrupt only to take two steps back.

"Stay back!" Stephen ordered which made her freeze in her spot.

"Stop hurting him!" I shouted but Stephen didn't even turn to look at me twice.

Why was he beating Kai?

I was the one lying. Kai did nothing wrong. I felt a newfound hatred for Stephen build up at my chest.

What gave him the right to do as he pleased?

So what if I lied? I don't owe him the truth.

I bit into Diego's arm which made him take back his hand, freeing me in the process. Before he could hold me again I rushed to Kai.

"I will tell you everything!" I would rather be loathed my entire life than have Kai get hurt because of me. "Just stop hurting him."

"Hm?" Stephen stopped his raised fist midway, smirking at me, "I thought you don't remember anything."

"I do now." I gritted out. Did he have to rub it in my face that he had won?

"Ezra, treat his wounds." Stephen instructed, wiping the blood in his hands with a napkin.

"Don't touch him." I hissed at Ezra, snatching the first aid box from him.

"Let me do it, buttercup." Ezra carefully offered. "He's hurt."

"You didn't seem to care about it a minute ago." I spat out. If he cared so much then why didn't he stop Stephen when he was ruthlessly creating these wounds on Kai?

"I'm so sorry." I apologized, my eyes tearing up at how much worse the wounds looked up-close. "You got hurt because of me again."

"It's not your fault, Lili." He stammered out, placing his palm against my cheek, while his other hand gently wiped my tears.

"It is her fault." Stephen interrupted. "And if I find her lying to me again, you will end up in a much worse state."

"Touch him again, and I swear to God I will slit your throat open."

"I would love to see you try." Stephen chuckled, mockery evident in his eyes.

"Oh, trust me, Stephen, I have had plenty of practice before."

Beside me Kai gasped in horror and I belatedly realized I shouldn't have said that out loud.

"Now," He started not at all bothered by my threat, "Let's start again, shall we?"

Clenching my fists, I nodded my head. Whats the point in asking for my approval after he made sure I had no way out of this?

"Who's responsible for the scars in your back?" He went straight to the point.

"What scars?" Kai asked, confused.

"Nothing-"

"Look at her back." Stephen interrupted, his cold eyes warning me not to make the same mistake of lying again.

"Lili-" Kai's horrified eyes found mine. "What happened?!"

"Don't interrupt again or I'll have you thrown out of the room." Stephen rudely cut him.

I no longer wanted Kai here.

I didn't want him to see me in this state. Or know about my past.

Was that why Stephen locked them out of the room in the start? But my mind refused to accept that he was being considerate of me.

"I am asking you for the last time, who did this to you?"

"Azazel."

"Who is Azazel?"

I contemplated on how to answer his question. If I were to put it in words, Azazel was just a psychopath who dreamed too big.

But maybe it would be best if I chose another introduction.

"You could say he's a scientist," I answered, not really sure why I put it like that considering he was a legit scientist.

Stephen stumbled back as realization dawned on his face. He looked even more horrified than when he saw my scars.

What was wrong with him all of a sudden?

"No, it can't be." He muttered to himself. "Fuck, no."

"Steph, what is it?" Diego inquired, his own hands trembling as he assumed what could have instigated Stephen's horror.

"Dad didn't send you to a boarding school, did he?" Stephen asked, already knowing the answer.

"What do you mean?" Ezra asked, having no idea what was going on.Kai looked just as clueless as him.

"No, he didn't." I confirmed.

"What are you talking about?" Kai shouted, having enough of being left out. "Where did Dad send her?"

"A research center that carries out experiments on humans." Diego stated. At that moment he almost looked like the brother I grew up with. Furious and vengeful.

Only this time, the vengeance wasn't directed at me.

"Isn't that illegal?" Ezra asked, his eyes mirroring the same horror as my two oldest brothers.

"It is," Stephen nodded, his eyes having a faraway look in them.

How long has he known?

Or did he know since the very start?

I wanted to know but didn't ask because it wouldn't matter either way.

"What the hell are you all talking about?!" Kai's enraged voice boomed from beside me.

But when I turned to look at him,he didn't seem angry. Instead, he looked so broken that it tore my heart apart.

"It wasn't anything serious, Kai." I said, clutching his hand in mine. "They just monitored our daily life for research."

"Stop lying," Kai snatched his hand away from me, covering his face with them. "Your scars are enough to tell me whether it was serious or not."

"It was just one time. I tried to escape and they punished me for it." I told him.

"Stop it," Kai raised his head from his hands. "Stop lying to make me feel better!"

Without giving me another chance to defend he stood up and with long strides he was out of the room.

I felt another rush of guilt wash over me at the thought of Kai blaming himself.

I had seen the self hatred in his eyes. It wasn't his fault. But how was I going to make him believe that?

"You should get some sleep, buttercup." Ezra suggested, patting my head lovingly.

I yawned in response, the lack of sleep catching up. But after looking around my room, I realized it was in no state for me to sleep. Stephen's rampage had reached even the bed.

Before I could contemplate on what to do, Stephen scooped me up in his arms, again.

"Let me down." I requested, lightly punching his chest, my body devoid of any energy. "I'll go sleep in Kai's room!"

Stephen shook his head in refusal, "Let him stay alone tonight. He needs some time to sort out his thoughts."

It did make sense. All the new information that was suddenly dumped on him was probably too much for one to handle.

"There are plenty of guest rooms. I want to sleep in one of them." I protested when I saw he was going in the direction of his room.

He shook his head again, "No, you are sleeping in my room tonight. I don't want to hear any arguments on that."

I gave in, too tired to fight him and rested my head on his shoulder, the motion making me more sleepy.

"I hate you." I mumbled in my dazed state. The only indication that he had heard me was from the tightening of his hold on me. "I hate you more than I ever hated Diego."

Even though the distance between our rooms was very short, I managed to fall asleep in that minimal duration.

I vaguely felt him place me in a soft surface as he covered me with a blanket.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Stephen kissed my forehead, his tears adorning my face. "I failed, again."

... ... ...

I woke up again sometime during the night.

I felt a coldness in my back. Icy fingers were outlining the scars on my back. Carefully running them through each intricate line.

"Nineteen." Stephen whispered to himself.

He's counting them?

I never did. For one, I didn't want to and secondly, it was hard to count scars on your back.

"Does it hurt?" Stephen's choked up voice sounded.

"No." I turned around to face him. The room was dimly lit, so I could only make out his silhouette. He was sitting beside my head, one of his hands on my hair and the other still in air after I turned back.

"Did it hurt when it happened?" He changed his question.

"It did," I mumbled, my eyes struggling to stay open.

"A lot?"

"Mhmm," I hummed in affirmation. "A lot."

"How old were you?" He spoke softly.

"Twelve-ish."I answered.I noticed how awfully honest I was being while sleepy.

"Sleep," He said, smoothening the creases in my forehead as he gently closed my eyes.

"What about you?" I asked groggily, shifting closer to him. "Won't you sleep?"

I couldn't stay awake long enough to hear his response.