The Royal Playboy | SUNGHOON

[ XX ] YOU TRICKED ME

MIN ARI

I wasn't able to clearly focus on the royal ball since I was too busy confirming about Heeseung's identity. He gave me a strand of his hair and right now, I am at the green house, waiting for my trusted person to arrive.

I immediately stood up when I saw her coming, "Jana!"

She confusingly gave me the brown envelope, "Whose DNA is it, Your Highness?"

"You didn't read what's inside, right?" I seriously asked her. She shook her head and pouted,

"I saw Prince Sunghoon on my way here. He's looking for you."

Right. I need to go back immediately. I pat her shoulder and walked outside the greenhouse, gripping the brown envelope tightly. Alas said he's going to meet me near the southwest wing.

"Ari." I smiled at him. He was leaning against the wall while crossing his arms but immediately stood properly when he saw me.

"I got the result already."

He nodded and heaved a sigh. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes to calm myself down. I slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the paper. I swallowed hard while reading its content... and just what I was expecting...

It's a 50% match.

Our DNA matched.

Meaning, Heeseung and I are biologically related. He's my brother, and I am his sister.

"You're... Alius..." I muttered under my breath. He showed me a faint smile as he wiped my tears on my cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Please don't tell this to Sunghoon."

I halted. My forehead slowly creased as I lifted my head to look at him, "Why?"

"We still don't know if he's an ally, or an enemy, Ari..."

I removed his hand from my cheek, "What do you mean?"

He pursed his lips and stared at me, as if he's hesitating to tell something, "Sunghoon secretly signed a paper with your consent, didn't he? That paper contains the property of Miren. He gave Miren to Hyunjin, in exchange... he wants you back to Ariaden."

"My consent?! I never gave him my consent! " I clenched my fist and looked away.

Right!

The day I woke up after I returned from Pria, I saw a red mark on my thumb. Could it be...

"Sunghoon tricked you."

I gritted my teeth and looked at him again. The look in his eyes changed in a span of a second. I saw a ghost of a smile fitted his serious feature, "I told you. We can't trust him, Ari."

"I never trusted him in the first place." I sternly said under my breath, "What should we do? I need to get Miren back."

"I?" Heeseung scoffed, "It's we. I will help you. I'm your brother, after all."

I tiredly exhaled and nodded, "I can't trust anyone here but you and Jana... I thought Sunghoon is improving."

"I thought so, too. I liked him for you because he's my friend. But if he deceived you just like that... I don't think I can trust him, either." He caressed my shoulder, "After I get Miren back. I'll find a way to break your marriage with him."

"How can we do that? Miren is already at the hands of Hyunjin."

He gripped my shoulder tightly as he seriously stared at me. I felt chills down my spine when the corner of his lips slowly lifted, "What did he do to our parents, Ari?"

I swallowed, "H-he killed them..."

"Then, I'm going to kill him. The way he killed our parents."

The ball was already over when I got back so I just went inside our room, instead. I was expecting Sunghoon to be at the venue, yet I saw his figure at the veranda. He was watching the moon while leaning on the stone railings,

"Where have you been?"

I clenched my jaw. I didn't bother to respond to him. I removed my accessories and placed it on top of the vanity table. I then grabbed my bathrobe but before I could step inside the bathroom, a hand already caught my wrist.

"I was looking for you..."

I removed my hand from his grip and landed it on his face. I slapped him as hard as I can. His face flew on the other side, yet he didn't react. His jaw just clenched tightly, "Ari..."

"How dare you?" I could hear my voice shaking, "How dare you trick me! Who are you to begin with? Who do you think you are, huh?!"

His face darkened, "It was to save you." He responded as if he already understood what I meant.

"You know how Miren means so much to me, Sunghoon! It's the place where I grew up! That place... was filled with good memories, yet you just gave it away as if you have the right?!" I grabbed his collar. He didn't try to defend himself. He just let me hurt him,

"I hate you so much, Sunghoon. I hate you to death..."