Before Natalie was born, the old patriarch of the Vale family brought two five-year-old children back from an orphanage: a boy named Kieran Vale and a girl named Clara Vale.
No one really understood why the old man did what he did. His son and daughter-in-law had a great relationship, and having children was just a matter of time. But he chose to adopt two grandchildren under their names instead.
However, these two children were incredibly bright. Except for the boy, who was somewhat withdrawn, they could pick up any knowledge instantly. Natalie would often overhear her private tutor praising them.
She was born two years after Kieran and Clara arrived at the Vale family. Along with her, her twin brother, Julian Vale, was also born.
Since she could remember, she was always close to Clara, just as Julian was always with Kieran. But Natalie was luckier than Julian, because Clara didn't mind her and actually enjoyed being close to her. Kieran, on the other hand, was often impatient with Julian, as he too wanted to spend time with Clara.
In their childhood, they were always playing together, and their parents and grandfather were happy to see how close they were.
According to her grandfather—the head of the Vale family—when Kieran and Clara first arrived, Kieran only spoke to Clara, likely because of their time in the orphanage. At that point, the psychologist had diagnosed Kieran with severe autism, and the only way he seemed to improve was by being around Clara.
By the time they were born, Kieran's condition had improved significantly, but he still preferred to be around Clara.
Clara was highly favored in the Vale family. She had a passion for medicine, so the family spent a large sum to build her a medical lab in the basement of the manor. She often immersed herself in the lab, but more often, she could be found sitting on the third-floor balcony, basking in the sun and reading a book.
Every time this happened, little Natalie would lie next to Clara or sit on her lap, asking her to teach her how to read.
"Sweetheart, you're too young. You can't even read yet," Clara would say with a smile, sunlight glinting off her golden hair.
Natalie would pout, looking upset, and whine, "Mom said I'll be able to go to kindergarten next year, and the Natalie who goes to kindergarten already knows how to read."
Clara would laugh and shake her head. "But you haven't even started kindergarten yet."
"But Natalie is very smart," Natalie would always insist.
She loved following Clara, finding any excuse to be near her. She also liked to sleep in Clara's arms, tightly holding onto her neck, as it made little Natalie feel safe.
Every time Clara and Kieran came home from school, little Natalie would run out to hug Clara. She missed her sister after a whole day apart.
"Oh, Natalie, you've gotten heavier again," Clara would always say.
At that point, Kieran would immediately head upstairs because Julian would also run over, and Kieran found him irritating—well, he found anyone other than Clara annoying.
By the time Kieran was fifteen, his autism had almost fully healed. He received an acceptance letter from Federal University, and by then, Natalie was already eight. She knew her brother was going to study far, far away, and though she felt a little sad, she was more worried about Clara also leaving with him. So, she threw a tantrum at home and cried loudly.
Luckily, Clara didn't apply to that university, and she could still stay home to play with Natalie every day. Little Natalie stopped crying and smiled happily.
But in the second year after Kieran left for Federal University, their whole family went on a cruise.
On that small cruise ship, Clara jumped off the deck from several meters high into the sea. No one knew why she jumped.
Natalie just cried and cried on the deck, her voice hoarse from the sobbing. She tried to make Clara turn around, but Clara didn't.
Natalie swore she would never take a cruise again.
The Vale family mobilized many people to search for Clara under the sea, but no trace of her was found—not even a body.
Kieran finally returned from Federal University. He stayed in Clara's room for three full days without eating or drinking.
As Natalie passed by Clara's room, she heard crying from inside. She knew it was Kieran crying, that proud genius from Federal University, sobbing uncontrollably in Clara's room.
Natalie didn't know why Clara had jumped into the sea, but she knew one thing for sure: if she could do it all over again, Kieran would never choose to go to Federal University, just as she would never agree to that trip again.
Natalie woke up from her dream to find that the sky was already bright. Her pillow was soaked, wet with her tears.
After washing up, she opened the door and went downstairs.
Mora had already made a cup of coffee and was sitting on the massage chair, relaxing after her workout.
"Good morning," Mora greeted her. "There's bread and milk in the fridge. You can make your own breakfast."
Natalie opened the fridge, took out the toast and milk, then began to toast the bread and heat the milk. She moved with practiced ease, as she always made breakfast for herself at home.
"And her?" she asked Mora.
Mora naturally knew she was asking about Ellara. Still immersed in the comfort of the massage chair, Mora sighed contentedly before replying, "She's in her room, probably still resting."
But Ellara wasn't resting in her room. It was her scheduled time to speak with Seraphina.
"Why did you tell her my name?" Ellara was furious, shouting at Seraphina on the video call.
Seraphina wasn't angry, though. She calmly replied, "Someone wants to kill her. I had no choice but to pass her on to you."
Ellara scoffed. She'd been scoffing a lot these days, mostly because of Seraphina. She didn't believe anyone could kill Natalie in Bayport. After all, it was Vale family territory. No one could surpass the Vale family—not even the gangs.
Seraphina shook her head, knowing that Ellara didn't trust her words. After all, the Vale family's influence was enormous. But...
She continued, "You know, Kieran is in Velmont City, the Vales have been traveling the world for the past two years, and the old patriarch is off having tea with that old man from the Federation."
Ellara understood what she meant: the powerful figures in the Vale family weren't in Bayport. That was bad news for Natalie.
"Natalie's life had a high price on the 'Starcatcher'. The highest bounty was one billion, and many had already taken up the rewards. Desperate outlaws would do anything for money, let alone offend the Vale family."
"I can only send her to you, only you can protect her," Seraphina said helplessly. Her eyes were strikingly similar to Natalie's, down to their eyebrows and noses. Natalie's features were inherited from her mother, and Seraphina's were from hers as well.
Ellara calmed down, realizing the sense in Seraphina's words, yet feeling something was amiss. "What about Julian? Aren't you worried about him?" Ellara spotted a loophole.
Seraphina shrugged nonchalantly, "Him? He's been sent to the military by his grandfather for being too spoiled."
Ellara placed her hand on her forehead, somewhat speechless. No wonder she hadn't heard any news about Julian in the past year. She felt somewhat convinced by Seraphina, considering the situation from last night indicated that Natalie was indeed in danger. From another perspective, Natalie's knack for causing trouble was significant, likely offending many gangs in Bayport.
Ellara contemplated whether to find time to go to Bayport and deal with those gangs, but that was a matter for the future. She looked up at Seraphina and asked, "When do you plan to tell the matriarch of the Vale family that you're still alive?"
The matriarch of the Vale family and Seraphina's mother were sisters.
Seraphina's tone remained as calm as ever, like an emotionless robot: "I have no plans to tell her, at least not now."
"Alright, that's your family matter," Ellara sighed, and asked, "Have you found out who wants to kill Natalie?"
For Seraphina, the mastermind behind the Starcatcher websit., finding this person wouldn't be difficult.
Seraphina's fingers tapped on the table, a common gesture when she was thinking: "That person used many identities, but I've still deduced who it is."
"Can you handle it?" Ellara asked again.
Seraphina shook her head, simply saying, "It's not the right time yet, but soon, he'll be in trouble himself."
"Is it related to the auction you're going to attend on the Western Continent?" Ellara recalled the last call where the girl on the screen said she would go to the auction personally.
Seraphina finally revealed a smile, a beautiful one, like a rose wrapped in frost, yet cold, with an icy breath: "Yes, he is my target."
Ellara finally knew who wanted to kill Natalie.
"It seems they are the same person," Ellara said with certainty, not as a question.
Seraphina's enemy, and the one who wanted to kill Natalie.
Ellara also smiled, her grin cold and sinister, like a demon climbing up from hell: "Have fun."
"Have fun," Seraphina maintained her perfectly measured smile.
Demons and angels, gazing at each other across the screen.