Chapter 267 - Not a toy that you brought from a shop

Aerie is Maddox Kang's daughter.

Yuta stares at Aerie who is playing with Sho on the bed in Aerie's room. Ever since he saw her with Yuan Bo, he has been watching her. 

Why did Yuan Bo place her in his family? Was it because of revenge? Is it related to the Consortium? 

"Elder Brother?" Aerie looks at him, wondering why he's been watching her like that. "Is something wrong?"

He shakes his head. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Aerie c.o.c.ks her head. Little Sho rolls on his back and squeals, trying to attract her attention. She gives her finger for him to hold unconsciously. 

"About your birth parents." He says to her with a soft voice, "Do you know anything about them?"

Why is he asking that? Aerie chews her lower lips, feeling nervous under his penetrating gaze. "Elder Brother, I don't know who they are."

She's lying. Why did he never notice it before? He had let his guard down because she's young. Mira is not Maddox's daughter. He should have kept looking for Maddox's daughter. But what was the point? He didn't want to get involved with the Consortium. Now, he knows why they did nothing even when his mother revealed everything to the media.

Maddox's daughter is in his house. She's even his sister. In his past life, Maddox killed his mother because she found out about Aerie. Then, he killed Maddox. 

Sensing that something is wrong, Aerie tells him with clear eyes, "I love Father and Mother, Elder Brother. I also love Sho, you, and Uncle Takeshi. This is my family."

"Aerie, I am sorry that I asked," He replies to her. Aerie and Mira are related to each other. Is Mira also close? Did she also get adopted to some family? Is she living happily?

In the future, there's going to be a battle between Mira and Aerie. Then, there will be new power factions. In any case, he can't let his family get involved in this. It's not worth the risk.

When he was thinking of bringing Mira to his family, he was somewhat prepared to go against the Consortium and Aerie. Things have changed completely now. He might have to go against Mira if Aerie stays in his family. Is there a way to avoid all this? Why is this happening to his family? He only wants them to be safe and happy. 

He seems worried. Aerie observes Yuta in silence. What is he thinking about? Is it because of school? They are supposed to start school soon. He had protested against the idea of going to school. She eyes him with concern. "Elder Brother, do you still not want to go to school?"

Aerie is just a girl. Yuta climbs off the chair and walks out of the room. Looking at her is difficult for him. How could he forget that Maddox killed his mother? In this lifetime, he watched Maddox die right before his eyes. 

Is Yuan Bo crazy? Just why would Yuan Bo send Maddox's daughter here? That man is certainly planning something. Does Yuan Bo want revenge or is it something else? What should he do now?

Maybe he should kill Aerie. 

However, the Consortium might attack his family if Aerie is harmed. Sending her back to the orphanage is the best choice. 

He just wanted a sister. How did this get so complicated? Yuta sits down on the stairs and grabs his hair, frustrated. Aerie is just a child. She's not evil. It's clear that she only wants the love of the family.

"What's wrong?" He hears his mother's voice. At the bottom of the stairs, his mother is standing with a puzzled expression. She blinks her eyes at him. "Why are you grabbing your hair? Are you worried about your uncle? Your uncle is fine. He will be released tomorrow."

His mother cares about Aerie a lot. "Mother, I don't want a sister anymore."

"Huh?" Rie frowns at him. "Did you fight with Aerie?"

"Send her back." Yuta folds his fingers when he sees the confusion in his mother's eyes. "I don't like Aerie. A family should only have blood-related members. She's not blood-related to us."

Rie has never expected to hear those words from her son. Her son isn't an ordinary five-year-old boy. She knows that he's reborn. If he suddenly says things like that, there must be another reason. He won't tell her though. She climbs the stairs and takes a seat beside him. "Yuta, do you know that I was also adopted?"

He purses his lips. He knows it all. But this is different. How is he going to make her understand? Keeping Aerie is too dangerous.

"They left me behind with my grandparents after they divorced." Rie takes a breath. She didn't even know that she was adopted until the age of 26. "It might have been easy for them, but it wasn't easy for me. Even though I lived with my grandparents, I always craved for my adoptive father and mother."

"Mother, it's not the same." Yuta looks at her pleadingly. "She is…"

"In a family, there are many times when you will hate them because of some reasons." Rie gives him a long glance. "Believe me. I have also hated my adoptive parents a lot. Still, there are times when I look back and remember those first eight years of my life with them. They tried their best to give me a home, but it doesn't change the fact that both of them decided that I wasn't their family anymore after their divorce. Do you want me to do the same to Aerie? Should we suddenly decide that she's not a family anymore?"

It's not the same. Yuta looks down, unable to meet her gaze. Aerie is Maddox's daughter. "We don't know what her background is. Should we accept anyone as a part of our family? She doesn't even look Japanese. What if her birth parents are bad people?"

"Aerie is not a toy that you brought from a shop. You can't return her to the toy shop and ask for a refund or exchange her for another doll." Rie's voice turns cold. "I don't care about her background, blood group, or her birth parents.  For me, she's the same as you and Sho. She might not have come out of my w.o.m.b, but she's my and Kiyohira's daughter."

After saying those words, Rie goes to Aerie's room. Yuta puts his head on his knees. His mother has made it clear. She won't send Aerie back.