The Chairman's presence was almost magnetic, his strides purposeful, and for a moment, Alice could understand why this man controlled the country. He was the number one.
And she was right under the same roof as him. Breathing the same air. Going to sit at the same table and eat the same meal.
Wow!
The entire table stood up in unison as if rehearsed a hundred times. "Welcome, Chairman," they chorused.
Alice tried not to let her bombastic side eye reveal itself at the bizarre scene.
She held it in. She had to.
The Chairman waved his hand. "Sit." His tone was curt yet calm. Everyone obeyed immediately, including Alice, who felt as if her body moved on autopilot.
His gaze fell on her, sharp but not unkind. "How do you find this home?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
Alice blinked, unsure how to respond. If she were to describe the home and not the people in it, there was a lot she could say—about the grandeur, the scale, the suffocating security—but what would Aurora, the person she was supposed to be, say? Aurora must have been in places like this a lot, right?
"I think it's okay," she said casually, shrugging slightly.
The silence that followed was deafening.
All eyes, which had already been on her, now sharpened like daggers. She felt the Matriarch's icy stare boring into her.
"You... think it's okay?" the Matriarch asked, her voice dangerously quiet.
Alice nodded, genuinely confused. What was wrong with saying that? Why were they all looking at her like she'd committed a crime?
But the Chairman waved it off, his expression remaining calm. "It's good you at least find it okay," he said. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to voice it."
Alice blinked in surprise. Of all the people at this table, she hadn't expected him to be the warmest. Her lips curved into a genuine smile. "Thank you. That's so lovely of you."
The sharp gazes returned instantly, the weight of them nearly making her sink into her chair. She bit her lip, realizing too late that she'd probably said the wrong thing—again.
The Chairman, unfazed, nodded and pushed his chair back. "Enjoy your dinner. I have more work to do."
Wait... that was it?
No! Alice panicked inwardly. She didn't want him to leave. He was the only person in this insane house who seemed remotely sane.
He stood, and just as before, everyone stood up together, like clockwork.
"Take care, Chairman," they said in perfect unison.
This time, Alice nearly choked on her laughter. She disguised it poorly as a cough, her shoulders shaking slightly.
The Chairman glanced at her briefly but said nothing as he exited the room.
When he was gone, Alice felt the weight of the gazes again. They were all staring at her as if she'd just desecrated some sacred ritual.
"Are you trying to throw a tantrum?" the Matriarch asked, her voice sharp and biting as she took her seat and everyone else followed.
"What... what do you mean?" Alice asked innocently, blinking at her.
The Matriarch's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowing. "Laughing at inappropriate times. Acting as though you're above basic respect."
Alice flushed, realizing she was skating on thin ice but still confused about why her every action seemed to offend them. "I wasn't throwing a tantrum," she said quickly. "I just... had a tickle in my throat."
The Matriarch's brow arched, clearly unconvinced. "Tickle or not, learn to compose yourself. You are part of this family now, whether you like it or not."
She was part of this family now.
A Wildfire. But why did it feel like she was a prisoner here?
"I was promised Prici—my mother was to join this dinner. I don't see her," Alice said, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her.
The Matriarch scoffed, her expression sharp and dismissive. "That's on her. I'm sure she's having the time of her life right now."
She nodded toward Betty, who immediately pressed a button on a sleek remote. A hidden screen descended smoothly from the ceiling, its sudden appearance making Alice's breath hitch. Her wide eyes darted to the others around the table, but seeing their nonchalant expressions, she forced herself to appear unbothered.
She had never seen something like this before.
The screen flickered to life, revealing a live news broadcast. The bold caption read:
"The Giants—Malay and Wildfires Merge."
Van let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Giants? Since when did the Malays become a giant?" he muttered under his breath.
The Matriarch's head snapped toward him, her gaze sharp and scolding. Van quickly clamped his mouth shut, but his expression remained one of muted amusement.
Alice, however, couldn't focus on Van's quip. Her attention was glued to the screen as the broadcaster continued.
The anchor's voice filled the room. "There are speculations that the private wedding between the Malay's only daughter, Aurora, and the heir of the Wildfire family took place today. While Director Malay has confirmed that a wedding indeed took place, the Wildfires have remained silent on the matter. However, in just a few hours, the stocks of the Malay Corporation have surged, with investors scrambling to buy in. Could this be a much-needed lifeline for the struggling Malay Corporation? But the real question remains: Why the Malay Corporation? With the Wildfires' influence, it could have been any other family's daughter..."
Alice's head was trying to wrap itself around the news. She wasn't familiar with what they were saying, but it wasn't rocket science.
So the Malays—the same ones who plucked her out of the North in a helicopter, erased her records, and threw millions at her feet—were practically nobodies in the West? A family teetering on the edge of bankruptcy?
Was that why Pricillia had been so desperate? Her mind flickered back to Pricillia's initial desperation, her eagerness to convince Alice to cooperate. It hadn't just been urgency—it had been panic.
The anchor's words echoed in her mind: "Why the Malay Corporation? It could have been any other family's daughter..."
Her chest tightened as an unsettling thought hit her. Why Aurora?
And the Wildfires agreed to this? Why? The merger seemed like a risky deal for a family this powerful.
Did Aurora hold some leverage, some value that went beyond just being the daughter of a failing corporation?
Her thoughts screeched to a halt as another realization hit her like a brick.
The groom had been switched. From Dawin to Hades.
This wasn't just a wedding for financial rescue; something else was at play.
She glanced at the Matriarch, who sat calmly, watching Alice's reaction with a calculating look. Alice quickly schooled her expression into one of neutrality, refusing to let any panic show.
"Is the broadcast to your satisfaction?" the Matriarch asked, her tone dripping with condescension.
Alice shook her head slightly, as if brushing off the question. "Is it to yours?" Alice asked back, stunning everyone around the table.
The Matriach remained calm as they stared at each other.
Alice had done too many illegal things in her life to know that there was only one thing that could bring even a powerful family down—crime.
And a blackmail.
Pricilia held something against them.
How dare they try to treat her badly now that she was here?
The Matriarch tilted her head, her tone cutting as she asked Alice, "Are you disappointed? That you didn't get Dawin?"
It was almost funny how, up to this moment, no one else at the table had said a word. Not even Dawin. Van had barely stirred after his earlier remark.
Even dinner hadn't been served yet. The only things on the table were fruits, vegetables, and drinks. It was as though they were all content to just sit and watch her flounder.
Her eyes shifted to Dawin, who was staring right back at her, unblinking. Alice's lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile.
"Why would I regret it?" she asked coolly, her voice carrying an edge.
"Dawin is the heir," the Matriarch countered, her voice measured but sharp. "He'll be running for congressman soon. And in a few years, he'll hold the highest position in this country— the Head of State."
Alice tilted her head, her expression almost indifferent. "I thought being a Wildfire heir was already the highest position one could ever attain."
The air in the room tightened, like a string pulled taut, as her words landed.
They had no idea whether her words were flattery or an insult. She didn't know either.
Dawin's frown deepened, his gaze narrowing slightly. The Matriarch's nails dug into her palms, her composure barely holding.
"Mind your manners or leave the table!" Betty hissed from the side, her tone dripping with contempt, her eyes flashing dangerously.
Alice slowly turned her gaze to Betty, letting her scoff slip out freely this time. "You must enjoy getting slapped," she said coldly. "I wouldn't mind granting your wish."
"AURORA!" Dawin's voice rang out sharply, his eyes blazing with authority as he barked her name.
Alice raised her eyebrows, unflinching.
"Mind your manners," he demanded through gritted teeth, his tone tight with control.
"I could say the same to all of you," she retorted, her voice firm and unwavering. Her gaze swept across the table as she continued, "Whether you like me or not... whether you want me here or not, I am already a member of this family. And you will not look down on me." She raised her chin elegantly even though she was dying inside.
However, the tension in the room was suffocating, every word of hers reverberating like a challenge.
Then, an amused chuckle broke the silence, low and rich. Alice's head snapped toward the source, her blood running cold when she spotted Hades leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed, a faint smirk on his lips. He looked as though he had just enjoyed the most entertaining scene in a play.
And it wasn't just her who had that reaction. It was as though the air in the room had shifted as wary eyes all looked at him.