Ethan rubbed his chin like a little adult, thinking out loud, "Do you remember his name?"

"Uhhh..." Ella scratched her head for a bit before it clicked. "Yeah! James Bennett! My godmom mentioned it once."

If Maria overheard this conversation, she'd probably be seriously shocked.

She had never brought up James in front of them. The only time Ella heard his name was when Isabella blurted it out without thinking.

The little genius Ethan quickly grabbed the tablet on the table and typed in "James Bennett" in the search bar.

The very first image that popped up made him freeze for a second.

He hadn't gotten a clear look at the matchmaking event, but now that he could see the picture clearly. this guy looked exactly like an older version of himself.

Ethan kept scrolling. He found out James had gotten married seven years ago and divorced five years back.

Even though Maria's name wasn't listed under his relationship history, the timeline totally lined up. There was a high chance she and James were their parents.

The two kids were thrilled. He had to be their dad!

For the sake of their family getting back together, they had to help their mom and dad reconnect.

Back in her room, Maria hadn't quite fallen asleep when she suddenly rubbed her ear with a frown. "Weird," she muttered. "Why are my ears burning? Someone must be talking about me."

Her phone rang at that moment. She picked it up, "Daniel? What's going on?"

"I just saw Mom and Dad," Daniel said, his voice shaking slightly. "I saw them at Night Palace. I swear it's really them."

Maria froze for a moment, then quickly snapped back to reality. She jumped out of bed and started putting on her shoes while trying to steady her brother, "Stay calm, and don't do anything rash. I'll head over right now. Keep me updated if anything new happens, got it?"

She changed quickly, then rushed to the kids' room to give them a few instructions.

The kids nodded obediently, not making a fuss.

As she left, Maria locked the door behind her, then sped off in her car, GPS guiding her to Night Palace.

North City had changed a lot-past five years had turned it into a whole new place. Tall buildings rose everywhere, roads were wider too.

Shops lined the streets, and even in the middle of the night, the whole area was brightly lit. It really was a city that never slept.

Life here moved fast. If you had some skills, you'd want a shot here.

But surviving wasn't easy-just being talented wasn't enough. You had to hustle hard. Some made it, a lot didn't and were barely getting by.

Maria didn't care about any of that right now. She just wanted to get to Night Palace as fast as she could.

Night Palace sat smack in the heart of North City's busiest district-high-end, sleek, and packed with people cutting business deals. Maria hadn't been back in five years, but thanks to Isabella's live updates, she knew the place well enough.

As soon as she parked outside the entrance, she called her brother, followed the GPS, and found the private room where Daniel Lewis was waiting.

The second he saw her, Daniel rushed over and pulled her into a corner, lowering his voice and pointing, "They're right over there."

With the dim lighting and the distance, Maria couldn't make out much-just barely recognized their outlines.

"What are they doing?" she asked.

"Talking business. See that guy across from them? Big shot in North City's business scene. No clue how they even got in with someone like that." His tone was dripping with disdain.

Maria frowned. Back then, James's mother had said Richard and his wife had gone bankrupt and vanished. So where was all this money coming from now?

"You keep eyes on them. I need to make a call," she said, walking off.

She contacted her people from Shadowglint to look into where the couple's sudden wealth came from, though she didn't expect much-they'd been digging for a while with zero luck.

Still, she added another instruction: Investigate the businessman sitting with them too.

"Maria, what do you think they're doing back in North City this time?" Daniel asked, sipping his drink.

She was still wrapped up in thoughts of how they'd abandoned her and her brother. Absent-minded, she replied, "Who knows?"

"We've been looking for them for five years. I just. can't wrap my head around it-how any parent can walk away from their kids like that. This time, I'm getting answers."

Daniel was usually the tough one. Only around his sister did he show a softer, more vulnerable side.

Out of everyone, Daniel had taken their parents' sudden disappearance the hardest.

First, their parents bailed after going bankrupt, then Maria got forced into divorce by her mother-in-law. Blow after blow-it nearly broke him.

Even now, just remembering those days made Maria's chest tighten.

She'd never seen her brother that shattered.

Maria had always banned him from drinking, but that night, she handed him the bottle herself-tossed back a shot without a word.

She'd said, "I'm planning to move overseas. Come with me. A change of scenery might help clear our heads."

Daniel stared at her for a bit, then took a long gulp. He didn't say no.

That night, the siblings drank themselves into oblivion.

The next morning, the restaurant owner had to wake them up. They ended up crashing at a nearby hotel for a few days.

During that time, Maria withdrew Daniel from school.

She had wanted him to at least say goodbye to his friends, but he flat-out refused to step outside.

Maria understood-he just didn't know how to face them. So, she didn't push him.

After moving abroad, Maria still had some savings, so settling in wasn't that hard.

As soon as things were in place, she got Daniel Lewis enrolled in a school.

She thought he'd push back, but to her surprise, he said yes right away.

He told her he'd grown up, couldn't keep acting like a spoiled kid anymore, and wanted to ease her burden. Maria felt a mix of emotions inside and secretly promised herself she'd work hard to give her brother the best she could.

Thankfully, Daniel adapted quickly to the new environment.

He ended up applying for universities that same year and got into a top-tier school.

After hearing Richard Lewis and his wife had shown up in North City, he came back immediately and had been tracking them down these past few days.

Just as Maria's mind drifted back to old memories, her phone buzzed. The message read: "Found them."

Richard and his wife had set up a shell company in North City.

The company looked legit on the surface and had fooled quite a few people.

Maria shared the findings with Daniel, but she still couldn't figure out where they got the money to start it. Daniel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it came from what your ex-husband's family gave your parents when you got married."

A cold smirk appeared on Maria's face as something clicked. "Yeah, makes sense."

Back then, she'd been lured into marrying James by the generous financial offer his family put on the table.

The company went bust, and the money was never in any company account-most likely they hid it in their own stash.

Maria had nothing more to say. She shook her head and looked in their direction, feeling nothing but bitter irony.

Once it all clicked, Daniel couldn't sit still. He jumped to his feet. "They dumped us, and now they're still trying to milk you? Are they even human? I'm going over to confront them!"

"Don't blow our cover!" Maria quickly pulled him back.

But their movements had already drawn attention.

Noticing Richard and his wife looking over, the siblings exchanged a glance and turned away calmly, pretending nothing had happened.

They didn't have a plan - just kept walking, trying not to get spotted.

They didn't know where they ended up, but the music from the main hall was barely audible now. Only then did they ease up a bit.

Sneaking a glance, Daniel spotted Richard scanning the crowd from not too far off. He tugged Maria's sleeve and whispered to her.

Maria didn't dare glance back. She bit her lip, dragged Daniel along, and ducked into the nearest private room.

The room was brightly lit and clearly reserved by someone. Maria was about to apologize and back out.

But then she saw someone familiar, her voice caught in her throat mid-apology, and she started coughing uncontrollably.

Daniel quickly patted her back and kept an eye on the door, worried Richard might walk in any second.

When he looked up again, he finally registered who was sitting in front of them, and his movements froze.

But Maria misread his intention, thinking he was about to step in. She grabbed his wrist and whispered, "Let me handle this. Don't say a word."

Daniel just gave a short hum, his gaze turning colder.

"Huh, Ms. Lewis switching men like changing shoes. David in the afternoon, now another guy at night?" James sneered, though his eyes were sharp and hostile.

His sharp brows furrowed, glare fixed on Daniel with undisguised animosity.

Maria's forehead creased slightly. Her fingers gave the slightest tremble, but her voice held firm. "Really? My ex-husband, defending David?"

James was clearly thrown off by her bold comeback. He froze, having no comeback for once.

Andrew tried to smooth things over, sensing the tension. "James said you're working as his assistant now, right? You're bound to bump into each other-no need to act like enemies. Come join us for a drink. We haven't seen each other in ages."

Andrew and James had been buddies since they were kids. A charming rich guy turned lawyer, surrounded by an ever-revolving door of girlfriends.

Back when Maria and James were married, Andrew would drop by their house now and then; she'd had quite a few interactions with him. They got along okay back then.

But with her relationship with James now in ruins, there was no way they'd return to that dynamic.

So she turned him down without hesitation. "No thanks. We just stepped into the wrong room. We're heading out now."

Then she grabbed Daniel's wrist, ready to leave. Deep down, though, she was getting worried-what if Richard Lewis was still after them?

"When did you become his assistant?" Daniel finally processed what was going on, gripping her hand tightly, his other hand shooting up to point at James like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Maria leaned closer and replied quietly, "I'll explain later at home."

Their closeness lit a fire in James's chest. He slammed his glass down, voice low and seething. "Point that finger again, and I swear none of you will see the sun come up tomorrow."

Daniel just chuckled and looked him straight in the eye. "Go ahead. Try me."

Maria knew James well enough; things would get ugly if it kept escalating. She gave Daniel a stern look. "Drop your hand. Right now. Or I'm gonna be pissed."

Daniel slowly lowered his hand. Maria's word was law to him.

James watched the whole thing unfold, anger boiling over. He stepped forward without thinking, shoving Daniel aside and pinning Maria against the wall with one arm.

She saw the fury burning in his eyes. but underneath, was that-was that lingering emotion?

For a second, Maria faltered. But then, she remembered how coldly he'd signed those divorce papers. Her voice came out sharp. "Quit staring at me like that. You're gonna give people the wrong idea-that you actually cared."

There was a flicker in James's eyes. He moved back a bit, scoffing. "Don't flatter yourself."

Andrew sighed, pouring himself a drink and muttering under his breath, "Clueless, both of them."

Maria straightened her clothes, watching James warily. "What is it you're even trying to do?"

"Since you walked in on your own, did you really think I'd just let you walk away that easy?" James's voice was ice-cold, making the air feel a few degrees colder.

Maria didn't even flinch. She shot back, just as cold, "So I get the wrong room and suddenly that gives you permission to act like this?"

James had only meant to scare her a little, but she wasn't backing down at all. "Do you talk this tough when you're explaining things to David too?"

"Whatever happens between me and him-how's that any of your business?" she snapped, especially biting on those last few words.

But deep down, the pain hit hard. The man standing in front of her used to mean everything to her. And now, he was the one who wounded her the most.

James's jaw twitched, fists clenching until his knuckles went white.

Maria, not wanting to waste another minute with him, leaned toward her brother and whispered, "Let's just go. Ella's home, probably waiting for us."

Daniel Lewis was about to nod when James shot out a cruel line, his tone razor-sharp. "Carrying out your affair so well even your kid knows? Impressive."

Daniel's eyes flared red with rage. He turned on James, fuming. "You seriously got a death wish, don't you?"

He was at his limit. Just as he was about to step forward, Maria gripped his wrist tightly and blocked him with her body, muttering over and over to let it go.

Seeing this only riled James up more. He scoffed, "If he's that tough, let him take a swing."

Maria's glare was chilling. She locked eyes with James and said, "You're gonna regret this."

James snorted, "Regret what? Not punching him myself today?"

Maria gave a bitter chuckle, didn't even bother replying.

When she came back to the country, she'd already pictured what might happen if James ever found out who Ella really was.

At first, she figured he'd try to take the kid from her.

But then she remembered, James never loved her-so he probably wouldn't care about their child either.

Still, knowing how he was, he just might want custody. Because Ella had his blood.

She couldn't help but wonder-once James realized Ella was his daughter, and remembered what he'd just said today... how exactly would that make him feel?

She stared him down, so intently that James started to feel uneasy, though he quickly masked it, wearing that stone-cold face again as he looked to Daniel. "From the way you two talk, you knew she had a family and a kid, and still decided to play side piece?"

"Mind your damn business." Daniel snapped, now more convinced than ever that the divorce was the best thing that could've happened to his sister.

He'd met James a few times before-and clearly, the guy didn't remember him at all. And to throw out an accusation like that? It was obvious. His sister's heart must be icy cold now. No way she felt anything for this man anymore.

"Even if they got married abroad, bigamy's still illegal. You ever thought about what this means for you?" James's gaze grew colder - the guy in front of him was getting more ridiculous by the second.

"She didn't marry him. There was no marriage," Daniel Lewis blurted out, then froze the second he realized what he'd just said. James's eyebrow arched, clearly amused.

He'd been suspicious about Maria and David for a while. They'd suddenly appeared super close. So now... Ella might not even be David's kid?

Reading the look on his face, Maria cut in, voice like ice, "Stop guessing. I didn't marry David, but the child is his. He's swamped with work back here, and I've been overseas. We just haven't had the time - I came back this time to finally get married."

James's expression immediately darkened. "You better not count on that happening."

Maria let out a sharp laugh, completely unfazed, then grabbed Daniel's arm and headed for the door. Just as they reached it, she paused, nudging him to step out first - she had a few more words for James.

The door opened, closed again. James scoffed at her figure. Giving her an out, and she still lingers?

Maria spun around, crossing her arms in front of her with a sarcastic smirk. "You know, it's wild to me - we were married for two years, and you never even recognized my own brother. Impressive, really."

James blinked, taking a step toward her, a flicker of shock-maybe even hope-crossing his face. "Wait, what? Your brother?"

"That so-called 'side piece' you just mentioned is Daniel Lewis - my actual, blood-related little brother. We've been through everything together."

James was stunned. The two of them didn't look anything alike. how could they be siblings?

Now he remembered - she'd said she had a brother. There were a few brief meetings back then. But it had only been, what, five years? And he couldn't even remember Daniel's face. No wonder Daniel had looked at him like that earlier.

James frowned deeply, a wave of guilt hitting him hard.

Maria chuckled without humor. "Believe me or not, whatever. Just don't show up in my life ever again. As for the contract - my lawyer will handle it."

With that, she turned sharply and left, not sparing another glance.

James sat down heavily, emotions tangled up.

Andrew walked over, sighed, and handed him a drink. "Here. Maybe this'll knock some sense into you."

James drained the glass, fingers tracing the rim. "So, you think I messed up too?"

Andrew paused, then said quietly, "You used to be impulsive, yeah. but even in your worst moments, you never dragged kids into it."

James dropped his gaze. Thinking back, he realized how big he'd messed up - not recognizing Daniel, and then dragging an innocent child into the fight.

"I was wondering why you suddenly wanted to grab drinks. Now I get it - ran into someone from the past," Andrew muttered, cracking open two more bottles. One of them he just handed straight to James.