Chapter 16 - Truth

*Gasp*

"What? Do I really order too much every time?" Lina asked herself.

Wade just nodded his head.

"Woah! I really do order too much?" Thinking back to what she had just ordered, Lina fell into contemplation.

'It's been a long time since I've eaten out with them, but now that I think back to our childhood days I can't seem to recall a time when big brothers ordered anything.'

'It's always me who orders and they just eat everything I order.' Coming to a realisation she looked up at Wade.

'I've been such a tyrant all these years. I am definitely going to change my ways, I won't force my brothers to eat something just because I wanted to!' She made a pact with herself.

"I know what you are thinking about. Don't worry, you did not force us to eat anything. We made that decision on our own. So you don't have to feel guilty about it" He reached out and rubbed her head lovingly.

"Hmm. But I will definitely change my ways. Promise!" She declared.

"I'll be looking forward to it." Wade agreed.

'My Nana is growing up.' He felt like a mama deer watching her fawn trying to walk for the first time. 

"What's with that weird face you are making?" Lina crashed the sweet image he had in his mind.

'This girl always does this! Whenever I think of something sweet, she opens her mouth and spoils it.' He gave her a rotten look. 

Soon the waiter brought the food in and they started eating.

"How's aunty Di?" Asked Wade, breaking the silence in the private room.

"Enjoying her vacation at the beach house." Lina spoke while pushing the piece of garlic bread into her mouth.

"Saw her pictures yesterday." 

"Wayne called me last night and said that he would be spending the last days of his vacation at the beach house with uncle and aunt." He informed Lina.

"And disturb them? Brother Wayne sure is courageous." Lina commented

Then thinking of her parents' PDA, she said.

"Wow! He must really love eating dog food if he's willing to stay with them." Laughed Lina.

Wade also laughed thinking of how affectionate his aunt and uncle were. Not even bothering whether the kids were watching.

Wayne Luo was Wade's older twin. They were 28 years old this year and they looked just like each other.

They had the same eyes, same long and sharp nose. 

The only way to make out the difference between the two twins was the color of their eyes. Wayne had greenish blue eyes while Wade had darker green colored eyes.

They even had the same dirty blonde hair that runs in the family, that Lina's mother also had.

Lina's mother, Diane Yang was Diane Luo before her marriage. 

She was Wayne and Wade's father, Wilbur Luo's younger sister.

They spent their lunch reminiscing about the childhood the four children spent together.

Soon after lunch, they decided to go shopping for some new clothes for Lina. 

She even wanted to familiarize herself with the city. After all, it's been a really long time since she has come back. 

"Let me drive this time. I don't want to spend two hours for a half hour drive!" Wade taunted her driving skills. 

"I like driving safely! Prevention is better than cure! Have you never heard the saying before?" She retorted. 

"Preventing what? Being at someplace on time? Well mission successful." Saying so he laughed at her. 

"Whatever!" She then got on the passenger seat and let Wade drive.

In the car, Wade tried talking again. This time he was more serious. 

"What are your thoughts about the pair living in your house?" He questioned her. 

Lina understood that he was talking about Mandy and her mother. 

"I have my doubts about Mandy but I just can't figure out what Lucille is planning. Why was she so desperate to enter Yang Manor? Even going as far as proving that Mandy is a Yang by faking the reports."

Lina spoke out about the things that bothered her about this situation. 

"How sure are you?" Wade said with a low and serious voice. 

Hearing the change in his voice, she was scared for a second. 

"Sure about what?" She asked, not understanding his question. 

'That scary voice! What did I do that his true self is waking up?' She panicked. 

She gulped thinking of how scary he was when his true self came out. 

"How sure are you that Mandy is not Patrick's daughter?" He repeated his question. 

Seeing how he left out 'uncle' while calling his name, she was sure that he was angry about the paternity scandal. 

'How dare he doubt my uncle Pat!' Forgetting all about Wade's anger, Lina herself got angry. 

"Are you doubting Uncle Pat?" She said looking at Wade who was concentrating on the road. 

Hearing the danger in her voice, Wade came back to his senses. 

Seeing that they had reached the underground parking of the mall, he found an empty spot and parked the car. 

Then facing Lina, he explained himself. 

"You have to see this from my point of view as well. Suddenly a fully grown woman comes up and declares that she is his daughter."

"If that allegation wasn't enough, she even produced evidence of her bloodline."

"That paternity test was done at a secure hospital and I don't think Lucille has that much power to manipulate the results."

Then looking right into her eyes, he continued. 

"So please explain to me how the test resulted with a positive? Because the only reasonable explanation that I can think of is that he lied about it not happening. And if that is true, then God help me, I would…"

"Enough!" Yelled Lina. 

Hyperventilating because of her anger, she got out of the car trying to catch her breath. 

'Dammit! I agitated her too much! How could I forget that she hyperventilates in such situations!?' 

Seeing her getting down, he immediately followed her. 

When he tried to rub her back as she hunched over trying to breathe, she swatted his hand away. 

After about fifteen minutes, she finally calmed down. 

"Sorry I overreacted" Was the first thing she uttered. 

'Mommy would kick me if she saw how pathetic I looked just now. She always told me to close my eyes and count to ten then bitch slap the person who tries to annoy me. But I can't do that to Wade!!'

She still followed the counting to ten instruction then stared right into Wade's eyes. 

Wade was still panicking about what she would do because he made her angry but relaxed when she looked calm now. 

"Before placing such allegations on Uncle Pat did you ever think about how he would feel about all this?"

"Everyone pointed their finger at him, if even his family treated him the same way he would break down!"

This made Wade feel guilty about his words. 

"I didn't think about how he felt. I was worried about how.. " But before he could complete his words, Lina interrupted him again. 

"I know what you are thinking about. But have you tried investigating this matter? No right?"

"Let me enlighten you.! "

She continued her monologue. 

"First, do you even know that the night that Lucille insisted that Mandy was conceived, Uncle Pat wasn't even in that hotel room. As to where he really was, even I do not know. But mommy does and she can vouch for uncle Pat. Unless you doubt her as well?"

Wade hurriedly shook his head. 

"Second, Brother Wade, look into my eyes. What color are they?" 

"Hazel" Answered Wade even though he was confused at the sudden question. 

"Look closer!" She commanded. 

"Hazel with green and golden flecks in them?" He said, doubtful of his answer. 

"Ding ding ding! Correct answer!" 

"Do you know anyone else who has those golden flecks in their eyes? 

Thinking hard, Wade answered. 

" You, Wind, Uncle Simon and Uncle Pat." He looked up at her as if realising something. 

"What's common among all these people?" She asked, guiding him to come to the conclusion on his own. 

"They are all members of the Yang clan!" He yelled in excitement. 

"So tell me, did you find these hereditary golden flecks in Mandy's eyes? Let me give you the answer to that." She spoke without giving him a chance. 

"No. No she doesn't have them. Ergo, she isn't a Yang. So, do you still have doubts about my uncle Pat?" She looked at him and spoke with a proud tone. 

All Wade could do was put his head down and shake it. 

'Shit! I doubted uncle Pat and even ignored him the last time he met me. I'm such an ass!' He cursed himself. 

Lina could guess what was going on in his mind but did not do anything to ease his guilt. 

'Who asked him to doubt my uncle? Hmph!' 

She leaned against the car's door and spoke again. 

"Now that this has been cleared. Let's talk about the thing that has been bothering me the most."

"Which is?" He asked, leaning next to her. 

"Lucille surely doesn't have power to manipulate the results, so the question is, who has that power? Who is helping her from behind the scenes? And for what reason?" She thought out loud. 

"Business rivalry? But it would be a foolish move to go against the Yangs who is one of the powerful families that rule this city." Joined Wade. 

"Then what could it be? This will need more investigation." She told him as she faced him.

Then jumping up she stretched her arms towards him.

"Let's not waste any more time and let's go shopping!" She said and pulled Wade to the elevator to go to the mall.