Chapter 39 - So...

"I should have adopted her if i knew how adorable she would be like this." Aaron watched in envy.

"Dream on. You wouldn't be able to handle her since you'll be pampering too much and she'll become a real brat with princess syndrome." Ralph rebuked when he heard him. There is no way he's going to let that comment off. She's his sister no matter what people say.

"You're just jealous." Aaron told him off. Ralph just glare at him.

"I'm still wondering. What were you doing around that neighborhood by the way? You do realize that your house is way opposite than that place. How did you end up wondering there?" Zack who have been stuffing himself with food while ignoring them finally asked something that is unrelated to food. When the others heard it, they are also eager to know. But Alicia's face turn red when she heard it. No one notice except for Tristan who have been watching her. Ralph also looked at her and grinned evilly.

"I'm going to mom and dad." She quickly make excuses and went to her parent as if she was hiding from embarrassment. Tristan just let her be. He didn't want to keep pushing his obsessive side when she finally accept him in her life. Although he manage to talk himself out of it but he still don't dare to push her to the corner making her feel suffocated.

"She ran away." Grey spoke as if no one notice her tactic.

"Quick, tell us about it. You've been keeping silent whenever we asked about it." Jason ushered Ralph to tell them. They all sit back down dragging Ralph to the table as they waited for him to speak.

"Do you remember a hacker name Xero?" Ralph asked them.

"You mean the one that messes around with every company and leading a financial crisis to our country? Of course i remember that darn hacker. Our company almost on the verge of bankrupt due to that hacker alone." Daryl sound interested about the topic. He hated the person who manage to hack his security system when his company is known to be sturdy and no one able to breach his tight security. And it only took the person only five minutes to break down his hardest wall.

"They government even had to employ us to track the darn guy and bring him to justice." Grey was feeling bitter about it as well. It was a huge sensation back then. For people like them who have business outside the country, it really hit them hard. But for those who are poor or have normal wages, they don't feel the effect much. In fact, they're the one who gained a lot of benefits. Xero is like a modern day Robinhood.

"You know i was in charge of tracking the person at that time. And somehow it led me to that part of neighborhood. But i still haven't found the exact location so i end up going there just to see how that part of neighborhood look like so i can eventually point out Xero's way of thinking and deduct its location. And that's how i met little Alicia. She was 8 years old back then and got bullied by a bunch of kids cause they found out she doesn't have a mother. She kept her silent and just let the kids do whatever they please. I wasn't going to interfere in the first place since it's a kid's fight. But the kids whom bullied her actually had a knife with them and was about to carve her beautiful face. I was furious. So, i enter the fight, scared them away and was hoping i could beat them as well when i saw bunch of bruises on her hand. Immediately, i took her to the hospital and was even more surprised by the wounds on her back. The doctors thought i was the one who abused the little girl and almost got myself caught. If it wasn't for her speaking up, i would be in jail at that time. I had her stay in the hospital but the next day, she ran away. Instead of looking for Xero, i ended up looking for her. I waited at her school and surprisingly she still went to school despite the terror that she had to faced everyday. When i asked her why she ran away, she said she wanted to go to school. It seems she really like learning back then. And even now. I end up visiting her everyday just to make sure she won't be bullied. But what i can't control is when her family is the one inflicting the pain. She would always have this bright and smiling face whenever we meet up and talk about the new wounds like it's nothing. I couldn't do anything since she doesn't want me to. And the rest follow suits. The day she called me about my offer, i was really excited. She finally agreed to live with me and become my sister. But what i didn't expect is her family's cruelty. The rest is history. She became my sister and the only sister that i would ever have." Ralph smiled as if reminiscing the time he met her. It was sad but beautiful in the end.

"So you end up forgetting your initial task in tracking Xero but ended up having a sister? Our country almost declared for bankruptcy at that time because of Xero." Aaron exclaimed.

"But we didn't. No one knows what happen. But Xero ended up helping the country back on track and our financial are restored. It was as if nothing happen. Xero even made some improvement in our financial state. Other countries are envious because of our sturdy financial without worrying it will go down." Ralph said as is it wasn't his fault.

"Even the government took back the order to catch Xero. Probably they had an agreement with Xero." Ralph continued. All of them look at Tristan as if wanting to confirm something. Afterall, Tristan's family had connection with the government.

Tristan however ignore their gaze and got up heading towards his bride. Leaving his friends annoyed.

"That man,,, he only wanted to listen stories about his wife. And when it comes to other matter, he ignores all of them." Aaron said grudgingly.

"Relax. It is his wedding and his chosen one." Grey said as a matter fact.

Others nodded their head as they all look to the man who's now hugging his bride and led her somewhere else. Ralph look from behind and remember how little and bratty his sister was back then. Now that she's grown up, she has become someone's wife. Holding his wine glass up, he bless them with happiness.

'For my little bratty happiness.'