Suddenly, Sarah finally spoke up. Calm yet sharp,
"Mom… if this is really the lost child everyone's been talking about, then we need to deal with this right now—before it's too late."
Everyone turned to her, clearly surprised.
"What do you mean, Sarah?" Sandra asked.
"Hmph… I'm sure all of you are thinking the same thing I am. Everyone expected he'd be like us—but look at him. He's so… tacky."
Her words cut through the room—calm, yet sharp and hostile. Nothing like her sweet public persona.
"Personally… sorry, but I can't accept him. Not now, maybe not ever. I can't picture myself living under the same roof as someone like him."
She glanced at the boy with cold disdain.
"Just look at him. What if he brings some disease into the house? For all we know, he's just some random street brat."
Al, whose posture was still a little awkward after bowing, nearly stumbled in surprise at Sarah's words.
What's this? Am I being rejected before I've even done anything? he thought. I thought there wouldn't be any drama.
Sandra flinched, clearly shocked, but before she could speak, Aurielle turned to Sarah with a sharp glare.
"Sarah! What are you talking about?!" she said, her voice sharp with disbelief.
Sarah simply raised her brows and crossed her arms.
"Eldest Sister... I'm just being honest. This isn't some TV drama where we pretend to hug strangers," she said calmly.
"He might be blood, but family isn't just about DNA. Give him some money and cut ties. He doesn't fit. He'll only ruin our family's image." she added.
"You can't say that. He's your brother too—how could you even think of driving him away?" Sandra scolded.
"Mom, please don't call him my brother. I... can't accept that." Sarah protested calmly.
"It's better to let him go now than let him get used to living here. Either the peace in this house will get shaken… or he'll end up breaking because he can't adapt to the elite world," she added.
Sandra understood Sarah's frustration; in truth, she felt the same conflict herself. So did Aurielle and Clarista.
Clarista herself found truth in both Sarah's and Al's words.
Her logic told her that perhaps it would be better if Al and the rest of them didn't get too involved with each other.
But when she looked at Aurielle and Sandra, both of them seemed clearly against the idea. So, she remained silent, offering no comment.
In the end, the three of them could only sigh and shake their heads.
They knew Sarah was always blunt at home—completely different from her carefully maintained public persona.
But she was the one who contributed the most to the family's public image, which only gave Sarah even more reason to be sensitive about anything that could damage the family's reputation.
David quietly observed the unfolding drama, whether interested or not was anyone's guess. But he didn't react at all.
Seeing everyone else stay silent, Sarah decided it was better to leave than deal with something so unpleasant.
"Mom, Sisters… whatever you decide is up to you. But if you insist on keeping him here, then I hope you keep him away from me."
She lowered her head slightly to her mother, then shot Al a sharp look before turning away.
"I'm going back to my room," she said flatly.
Meanwhile, Al was filled with nothing but confusion—and a twinge of irritation—at Sarah's complaints.
He then spoke up.
"Wait," he said—calm, yet razor-sharp.
His voice alone was enough to make everyone turn back toward him, including Sarah, who halted and looked over her shoulder.
"How can you say something like that and just walk away?" Al asked flatly, his gaze lazy as it locked onto her.
"Hm?" Sarah murmured. "Did I say something wrong?"
Al shook his head with an uninterested shrug.
"Technically, yes. And I get your sentiment. But this isn't about being right or wrong," he said casually.
"It's just that you can't throw an insult and then walk off like nothing happened. Do you think people will just take it and let you go?" he added.
Sarah's expression soured—she definitely didn't expect Al to call her out.
"Are you trying to teach me how to behave?" she snapped.
"Hmph… more like preventing the same thing from happening again, and protecting my basic rights as a human," Al replied.
"Huh? Your rights as a human? Haha… why does it sound like you're giving me a citizenship lecture?" Sarah shot back, confused by his words.
She turned fully toward Al, crossing her arms.
Al nodded.
"The fact that you're my sister gives you the right to be respected by me. But the fact that I'm a human just like you gives me the right to receive an apology from someone who wronged me," he said lazily.
Sarah's eyes widened a little.
"You're telling me to apologize to you? Are you insane?"
"Huh? You insulted me and I'm asking you to apologize. How is that insane? Isn't that normal?" Al asked, genuinely puzzled.
He then turned to Sandra.
"Mother… is basic morality like this not taught in elite families?" he asked calmly.
Hearing that heavy question, Sandra could only shake her head and let out a long sigh.
The unexpected clash between her two children was giving her a headache. At first, she thought the conflict would be between David and Al—but instead, it was Sarah.
"It's not like that, Al. Of course your sister understands things like that, it's just…"
She glanced at Sarah for a moment before turning back to Al.
"Hmph… I don't even know how to explain it. But one day, when you've seen more of the elite world, you'll understand."
Aurielle also stepped forward.
"Mom's right, Al. You're new to this environment. Once you see how most wealthy people behave, Sarah's attitude will seem mild compared to the others."
Behind them, Clarista and David nodded—as if they knew very well that arrogance and casual insults weren't exactly taboo in wealthy circles.
Sandra nodded at Aurielle's words.
"I'm not saying it's right, but your sister, Sarah, is just like that. I hope you can understand… and let it go just this once."
Sarah also chimed in with a sharp tone,
"Hm… see? Now you get it, right?" she said mockingly.
"So don't bother me, and do whatever you all want. I'm going back to my room." She added, turning around and walking away.
Al looked genuinely confused by all their words and reactions. He understood rich people's arrogance — how they insulted those they deemed beneath them.
There were several factors driving that kind of character—
Whether it was the result of being accustomed to arrogant habits and a dismissive mindset toward those beneath them, or perhaps a form of self-defense.
Especially for members of the Virellano family, one of the wealthiest families in Indorosia, putting on a high-and-mighty act was practically expected.
Being humble, after all, only risked inviting others to look down on them—or worse, take advantage of them.
But… what Al couldn't understand, what he couldn't believe, was receiving that kind of treatment from someone who was supposed to be his own family.
He let out a tired sigh, clearly fed up.
"Haaa… whatever. Things like that aren't something I can just accept. But fine—just this once, I'll treat it as a normal sibling quarrel," he said lazily.
"But if it happens again, beyond what's reasonable…"
His eyes sharpened, the atmosphere instantly turning oppressive—as if the air itself stopped moving, squeezing the lungs of everyone in the room.
"…don't blame me if I get rude," he continued, his voice cold and cutting.
Everyone felt it—the sudden shift, the chilling pressure. Even Sarah, who had already walked quite far, felt goosebumps run down her arms.
David, being a bit more sensitive than the others, felt it clearly—his eyes widened for a split second. But he still had no idea what had just happened.
Hm? Was that just my imagination? he wondered.
He then shot a sharp glance at Al.
This kid's got guts. He's barely been here for a day and he already dares to throw out threats. Interesting.
The suffocating aura vanished just as quickly as it came, and all that remained was Al, standing there with his usual lazy expression and posture.
Sandra let out a relieved breath and stepped closer to Al.
"Thank you for understanding, Al," she said warmly.
Al nodded, then looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Since Second Sister doesn't want me here… what about you all?" he asked.
"Of course we want you here. No one can deny that you're part of this family," Sandra replied firmly.
Aurielle and Clarista both nodded. David stayed silent—whether he agreed or not was anyone's guess.
Seeing that almost everyone seemed to accept him, Al nodded.
"Alright," he said simply.
Sandra and Aurielle looked relieved and pleased by his answer.
Clarista and David only gave short, neutral nods.
Maybe because they disliked him, or because neither was very expressive… or maybe they simply didn't feel much about Al's presence yet.
Aurielle, especially, felt Al absolutely had to stay.
Honestly, she thought,
I want to know more about him. Maybe he has some kind of talent—just like the rest of us. He's still young, and it's better for him to develop whatever potential he has now rather than never at all.
Besides, now that he knows he's part of this family, letting him go could cause trouble—trouble that could hurt the family's image.
What if he goes out there claiming to be one of us, and the media finds out we turned him away? That would be a disaster.
So no matter what, he had to stay.
She exhaled softly..
"Good. Glad you finally understand," Aurielle said, trying to close the tense discussion.
"You're part of this family—whether anyone likes it or not, accepts it or not. That's a fact. So I hope no one brings up the idea of leaving this house ever again," she added, her tone firm but still warm.
Her gaze on Al turned sharper.
"Including you, Al. Don't ever think about leaving!"
Al looked at her and gave a faint, almost amused smile.
"Sounds more like an order than a negotiation," he remarked.
"Yes, it is. I'm your eldest sister, after all. You'll have to listen to me," Aurielle replied confidently.
Al felt a bit irritated by her straightforward authority, but he still nodded.
"Fine… I have no intention of leaving anyway. My goal here is to integrate, after all."
Aurielle nodded as well, accompanied by a relieved smile from Sandra.
Al nodded along, not knowing how else he should respond. His thoughts were now focused on analyzing everything that had just happened.
For now, only Sarah rejects me outright. David and Clarista seem unsure—I can't quite read them.
Mother and Aurielle obviously doesn't want me to leave, and Father… probably feels the same, he thought
Huff… alright then. From this moment on, my mission begins—to become a true part of this family, and to make them see who I really am.
It might take time, but eventually, I'll succeed.
Sarah, who hadn't walked far enough, could still hear their voices.
Of course he won't leave. He's only here to chase after the Virellano wealth and name. Typical street brat, she thought bitterly.
Meanwhile, David looked away, his expression unreadable.
No one could tell what was going through his mind—he seemed completely uninterested in the whole drama.
Yet a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he were already satisfied with how things had turned out.
Sandra, a bit worried about him, couldn't help watching David carefully. She feared Al's presence might hurt him emotionally.
But seeing David stay silent and calm, not reacting at all, she felt relieved.
At least… there was no big problem for now.
---
After the tension settled, Aurielle, the clear leader of the room, glanced at her expensive watch and gave her mother a small nod.
"Mom, I have a strategic meeting at four at the Indocorp Tower. The investors from Merlion country are already waiting. I'm sure Al will adjust. I should go," she said calmly.
Clarista calmly adjusted her bag.
"I need to head back to the lab. My lead researcher will scold me if today's report is late."
She paused briefly and gave Al a quick glance. "Well… nice meeting you, Al."
A few seconds after Clarista left the room, Sandra's voice broke the silence—soft and uncertain.
"Forgive them, Al. Your siblings are just… very busy. Especially about Sarah—she's always like that. I hope the two of you can get along in the future." She said.
"The others wanted to be here too, but their schedules…" Sandra gave him a hopeful smile. "I hope you understand."
Al simply nodded.
Good. This is better. The fewer people, the less drama. Let them stay busy. For now, what I need is rest—before I start my mission of becoming part of this elite family.
He leaned back into the sofa, letting out a quiet breath.
His gaze shifted toward David, who still stood casually beside their mother. Something about him felt… off. Something only Al could see.
---