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Chapter 5 - Pushing Love

Ilyana didn't remember what her father looked like. She remembered her mother most of the time and only had a few memories of her father in it. Throughout those memories, she recall his voice as he called for her and his tall body. He seemed leaned but powerful and there would always be men behind him.

"Ilyana, us, The Pandoras reign above others," this was the most famous line that her father always uttered against her ears. "We aren't the same as those hoodlums. We are not gangsters who levy Shanghai."

"What are we then, Papa?" Ilyana who was holding her father's hands with her tiny ones looked into the gangsters whose heads had bent down upon their arrival. The politeness that they show wasn't simply to the head of their gangs. Instead, it was the frightening loyalty of subordinates to their King.

"These people, they are for you to rule, Ilyana. They are also for you to protect. You are their Queen. These are the people who you should prioritize." Her father's warm words resonated in her heart, something she kept forever even after his death.

Since then, Ilyana had taught herself to become the perfect Queen to The Pandoras, a person who can take care of Shanghai away from any danger near them. The danger from those Westerners, the dangers from those people in their own family— all dangers!

She knew she had made herself clear with her role in taking care of all Pandora's problems, and she also know everyone around her had mostly accepted her as the next heir to Pandora. Only those uncles who wish to acquire this seat of hers disagreed with her, but that didn't matter. She could make sure that once she sat on her mother's seat, she would change their mind and make them acknowledge her. But!

She didn't expect her mother to abandon her! Removing her from the seats now would only cause rift in Pandora. Although all this time people had acknowledge her work and see her as the only heir of the family, she was the only heir with the least support in the family. As her mother was a stranger to Zhou Family and her father had long passed away, she has no one who would stood behind her and strengthen her position.

Unlike her, uncle Zennox who has his brothers who would support each other and push one another to achieve her position, she only has herself. And now that her mother's support was taken away from her, she was even less than a candidate!

Upon seeing her mother walking out of the meeting room, Ilyana sped up, "Mama."

Madam Zhou didn't stop. She could hear her daughter and it was obvious as Ilyana could see the bodyguards around her mother trying to tell her how Ilyana had called for her.

"Mama!" Ilyana rushed forward, ticked off by how her mother doesn't even want to listen to her. She raised her voice, "Don't ignore me, Mama. I know you can hear me."

Sighing, finally Madam Zhou turned her head and look at her, "Have you come here to complain, Ilyana? I don't remember ever raising any of my daughters to be a whiny ones."

Ilyana knitted her eyebrows together. A lot of words fought to escape from her mouth but she couldn't find the best way to utter them now. She tried to study her mother's face, wondering if her mother regretted what she had said to her uncles but found that her mother seemed to be pleased instead.

"I don't understand. I thought I am your heir," Ilyana was desperate. All her life she had been raised to become Pandora's heir. If she isn't... then what is she?

If her entire identity and her goal in life had been rejected and what would be left of her?

"I don't remember ever promising that title to you, Ilyana," Madam Zhou said with a tone that was so cold that for a moment Ilyana doubted this woman is her mother.

But then again, this was how her mother is. She had never shown concern or love openly to her or her sisters but she thought this was simply to make them stronger for the challenges they will face. Yet now... this coldness from her mother made her doubt if her mother had acted with her in mind.

"And do you think there is anyone else better than me to lead Pandora?" Ilyana pointed her delicate fingers to the room they were once in and stared back at her mother, "In that place, did you see anyone who truly care about Pandora's legacy? All of them only want to satisfy their egos. They are selfish and they care only for themselves, how would that ever be good for a Pandora?"

"Ilyana," her mother's voice suddenly went ice cold which made her flinch. "I want to see who could fix the problem and protect our people. It's a choice that, I, the leader of Pandora have made and who are you to argue with my choice?"

Ilyana couldn't speak as she finally realized the person whom she was talking to isn't her mother— but the head of Pandora.

"I don't believe that you are the most perfect candidate for the next heir to Pandora, Ilyana and I think you still haven't realized what you lack," her mother pointed to her, and naturally her sharp eyebrow raised to her forehead.

"You mean to say that I am lacking? Madam, I have done everything that I could. I have picked up many talents and I know how to protect our people better than anyone in Shanghai. Last time I have apprehended the killer who had attacked our group alone, I have taken back the debt that those Russians owe us without shedding a single blood, and I have also made a smooth sailing business for Pandora!" Ilyana still stood by her opinion and refuse to believe that her uncles or her cousins are far better than her.

What did she lack that they have?

"And for you to say this means you haven't noticed what is missing from you," Madam Zhou flap her hand and waved, "I don't want to hear you argue this again to me. If you want to be the next heir, there is only one simple thing you have to do Ilyana—"

Taking a step backward, her mother had turned her body to the entrance, leaving a whisper for her, "—Prove to me that you are the only, undeniable heir of Pandora." Her statement sounded like the closing statement to their argument where Ilyana couldn't say a single word against her, nor argue how her choice was unfair.

Unable to move, Ilyana watched as her mother was guarded by the two bodyguards whose height doubled hers. She couldn't remove her gaze from her mother's thin back even as the round doors were closed behind her as somewhere she hoped her mother would turn back to take a glance at her but she didn't. Only when her sisters came to her did Ilyana finally break her stiff stance and relax her fingers she had tightened to fists.

"Jiĕjie!" Cassia walked behind her along with Kiera who hadn't left as they were waiting to hear what had been discussed in the gathering. However, they have heard what occurred from the servants who couldn't help but gossip about the thundering news that the Madam had just declared.

"I can't believe mother would do that to you!" Cassia yelled at once, feeling offended as she was close to Ilyana since child, feeling what had hurt Ilyana to hurt her as well. "Now that you don't have her support, our uncles... they won't go easy on you anymore. Even those hitmen they have sent to you it will be worse from now on! At least before they will kill you respectfully but now, they won't even care of your body and where it will be sent to! This in unfair! It's unfair! You have no ally Jiĕjie!"

The sisters knew just how much Ilyana have worked to become the heir of Pandora, which was why they couldn't accept the thought of anyone else taking that honorable position from their eldest sister.

Ilyana pulled her hand before her face and pinched the space between her eyebrows. Her stress was piling up even though she was certain today was a good day. "I don't know what she is planning but I can tell she won't side with me this time."

"Honestly if mother ever sides with us, I will be surprised," Kiera noted in sarcasm. Her long lashes cast a dark shadow on her eyes as she chuckled bitterly, "Even a tiger is a much better mother than her. She wouldn't hesitate to throw us into the fire if she thinks it's more beneficial for Pandora. It makes me wonder sometimes if we are more important to her or Pandora is."

Ilyana who heard her little sister's statement couldn't help but feel a tinge of pain in her chest. She couldn't respond to Kiera nor convince her that their mother care for her as the last time her mother ever took care of them was before their father's death. During that time, Ilyana was fourteen and her sisters were babies.

Cassia quickly said, "Maybe this is the way for mother to make sure that your seat is more secured, jiĕjie. Maybe she wants to show our uncles how no one else would be able to solve the problem other than you."

Ilyana formed a smile upon hearing her sister's positive mindset, "I think that as well. Until now, it's difficult for me to ever learn what mother have in her mind. But I won't let this chance be taken away from me. If she wants me to prove myself, then I will do so."

Kiera was impressed to see how Ilyana wasn't upset but had thought of another step ahead and nodded her head, "If it is you, jiĕjie, I'm sure you can do it."

"I'm sure she is trying to protect us," whispered Ilyana even though she doubted her own words. She quickly pulled herself together and asked, "Cassia, Kiera, don't you two have to go somewhere else?"

"But..." Cassia drawled. She tried to hold onto her hands but Ilyana doesn't want to show her sisters how cluttered she is at the moment.

"It's okay Cassia," Ilyana's black eyes stared at them firmly, "I can take care of this. Your JiĕJie knows what she is doing. The heir of Pandora is me and that shall never be changed unless I died."

Although it was clear Cassia didn't want to go, Ilyana's persistence was difficult for any of the sisters to refuse.

"Okay," Cassia held her sister's hands, "But if you feel the need to talk with someone else, quickly tell me, Jiĕjie."

"Don't worry, I will," lied Ilyana, who knows even if she would turn into a wreck, she wouldn't let a single soul in this world know she has broken down. As she watched Cassia who resentfully walk away, Ilyana noticed Kiera and called for her, "Kiera."

"What is it, jiĕjie?" Kiera asked, wondering if her eldest sister finally asked them for help.

Ilyana spoke tenderly, "I know what you think of mother but Kiera, she never hates us. I am more than certain that she would prioritize us over Pandora."

Kiera looked at her and even though she never smiles, she finally softened her smile in gratitude for her sister's encouraging words even if it was a lie. "I hope so."

After her sister's absence, Ilyana finally has time for herself. She couldn't let her sisters or anyone know how much anger had stormed in her heart the moment she heard her mother had considered someone else to take her position. It wasn't that she felt she was entitled to the position but she couldn't believe Pandora would fall into the hands of those selfish people who simply want the wealth and power Pandora has without caring the legacy that her father had left on her hands.

Now, it was up to her. The heir position has to be in her hands or else those uncles of hers would use the chance to abuse the heavy authority Pandora has.

But how?

Ilyana pushed her hair to the back of her head. Her slender fingernails glimmered sharply as she moved from the hallway to the clubhouse again. She looked around to find the rice wine that she love which she would always have whenever she visited the clubhouse. As she studied how Blaine Zhuang had left, Ilyana felt much more at ease to roam in her club, thinking to take the time to drink and eat and forget of the problem that would nag her tomorrow morning.

"My wine," Ilyana said to the waitress who had quickly come near her upon seeing her figure.

"I will bring them to your usual table, Xiao Jie," said the waitress who didn't move from her place after a while, "Is the wine all that you need?"

Walking to her regular seat, Ilyana lifted her gorgeous face which made her crimson lips stand out even more under the dim light in the club. She stared at the waitress and smiled, "Is there something else that I have forgotten to order?"

"Then should I tell him to leave?" The waitress questioned at the same time as when Ilyana had lifted the red curtain that covered her seat.

She looked inside, finding the pretty young man who stared back at her with his sparkling green eyes. For a moment Ilyana felt as if she had been pulled out of the water, finding herself mesmerized by the beauty that appeared again before her eyes. It took her a while to snap out from her daze as she admire the face of the handsome man whose skin was as fair as the silk fabric and eyes that were almost similar to a deer. He doesn't look weak. Even though he was extremely pretty, he appeared to be hiding strength behind his body which attracted Ilyana to the point she forgot the problems she had just faced.

"I forgot about you," whispered Ilyana in English which caused Lev to blink at her. He appeared somewhat disappointed to hear that she had forgotten about him while he waited for her like a good boy.

His reaction only made her want to tease him even more.

She then turned toward the waitress who waited for her order and grinned, "Why would you tell him to leave?" She then stepped forward, causing a sharp clink on the wooden floor that made Lev's Adam apple bob. Placing her index finger on his chest, Ilyana's smile grew wider, "Do you want to leave, Love?"

Lev didn't know why he felt as if his breaths had been stolen as he could only stare at her ever since she entered. Even though she had left for one hour, Lev had just stood in his place, thinking uncontrollably of Ilyana and recalling all her gorgeous features.

"No," Lev whispered.

Even though his name wasn't Love, he didn't hate the way her tongue had rolled upon calling for him.