Chapter 37: Let us... just add fuel to the fire

"Mira Halka accidentally walked into Kim’s conversation with his old friend on the phone. Kim was originally planning on how to deal with you, actually, but the other person asked about Mira, which led to the conversation about her," Anah’s voice echoed.

Time froze immediately, and Anah materialized beside Nova.

"It’s true, Kim Halka wasn’t Mira’s savior. Several years back, Mira was the youngest daughter of the emperor Mafia family, but a terrible disaster fell upon them. It led to the complete execution of her whole family, leaving only her as the sole survivor."

"She was almost caught, thanks to a young man who came to her rescue, risking his life to ensure her safety. It was nighttime, and with Mira’s eyes clouded with tears, she couldn’t recognize her savior’s face."

"Rain started falling, and they had no choice but to hide in a cave since the people were still after them. At that time, Mira was completely traumatized; she couldn’t hear anything, and the only thing she heard from the man was his sincere confession to her, promising with his life to protect her."

"It happened that Mira was drugged then, and that led to a night of intimacy between both of them. That one time led to the pregnancy of Alan."

"In the middle of the night, while Mira was still unconscious, the young man carried her to escape, and he happened to bump into Kim."

"He begged Kim to carry her to a safe place, but Kim recognized Mira as soon as he saw her. He knew that even though she was now a wanted, runaway princess, she owned 75 percent of the family’s wealth and power."

"He accepted Mira from him, and just as the man relaxed and was ready to lead the people chasing them away in the wrong direction, Kim pulled out his gun and shot him to death. Yes, he killed him."

Nova frown, trying to suppress the anger burning within her.

"He took Mira away to somewhere safer and searched her whole body with the hope of getting the wealth seal or something, but he couldn’t find it. Helpless, he dozed off beside her." Anah continue.

"The next morning when he woke up, he found Mira already awake and staring at him. He was worried she would question him at first, but then Mira mentioned him saving her, and he admitted he did."

"Thinking Kim was her savior and recalling his passionate confession, she was deeply moved and promised to give him 20 percent of her power and wealth."

"Though Kim wasn’t satisfied, he knew very well he couldn’t handle her, much less argue with her, so he accepted. After everything was taken care of, they went back to the city, and that was when Mira found out she was pregnant."

"She informed Kim, and with the fact that she thought he was the one who sincerely shared his true feelings for her, and even went as far as risking his life to save her, she proposed they marry."

"That was when Kim told her he already had a daughter but didn’t have a wife. Mira wasn’t stupid; she doubted he was the one who saved her at that time, but Kim somehow managed to manipulate her, making her believe him unconditionally."

"Since she was already pregnant, she had no choice but to accept becoming a stepmother, and they registered their marriage. Mira gave the whole 75 percent of her wealth and power to Kim, but even though Kim now owned the power, as long as Mira isn’t dead, he can’t control the full power."

"That’s why Mira was given a slow poison, so it would look like she died of a terrible illness, and Alan wouldn’t have the right to claim his mother’s power and wealth. Also, it’s because of Mira’s power that Alan managed to stabilize his own domain, with some more effort of his own as well."

"Honestly, if not for Mira being so clingy to Kim, Alan would have killed him long ago because he already knew Kim wasn’t his biological father. He just didn’t know the full details."

Nova’s brows knitted more tightly. "No DNA test needed. It’s very obvious even to the ordinary eye that Alan and Kim Halka look completely nothing alike, only Dora is indeed his biological daughter. So why is Mira so clingy to him? Is she in love with him?" she asked.

Anah shook her head. "She couldn’t remember much of what really happened back then. All she could recall is having sex with someone, someone confessing his love for her, and then risking his life to save her."

"She’s not stupid. Alan looks completely nothing like Kim, so she was very sure Alan was not his son. However, being convinced by Kim with lots of evidence that he was the one who saved her, Mira was mentally corrupted into believing she had sex with another man and just pushed the pregnancy onto Kim."

"She has been living with intense guilt all this while. That’s why she accepted the way she was treated and didn’t even fight back. It has nothing to do with loving him, though she herself was convinced that she loved him but that’s not the case."

Nova chuckled darkly. "You tell me... is it too light only poisoning him slowly?" she murmured, a deadly anger flashing in her eyes.

"Mhm. Since her memory is cleared now, and she has recalled everything because of the conversation she accidentally heard, leave the mother and son to avenge themselves."

"Let us... just add fuel to the fire," Anah replied. A dark laughter followed, it sounded scary and filled with death threat.

Nova had a psychopathic smile on her beautiful face. "Well, as the angel that I am... I will gladly be kind-hearted and indeed add more fuel to the damn flaming fire," she replied, chuckling devilishly, her eyes losing their innocence, replaced with pure darkness in the blink of an eye.

"Very well then," Anah replied, and vanished into thin air.

Then the frozen time unfroze, and Mrs. Mira glanced at Nova.

"I know I’m poisoned. I don’t have much time left to live. I can see you have some interest in my son. I have nothing to seek from you, I just want you to take good care of my son. He... is the only one I have." Her voice choked, seemingly fighting hard to hold back her tears.

Nova raised a finger, calmly staring at her beautiful nails. "Mrs. Mira, I think it’s better you understand something right now... Alan and I are married already. If you suddenly die, my husband will be heartbroken. I don’t want that. He’s such a cute baby, and I want to pamper him with everything," she replied, smiling harmlessly yet dangerously.