The outing finally began. The group spent the afternoon exploring, using the time to enjoy themselves while also preparing for the evening event.
Meanwhile, Al stood at a distance, completely uninvolved.
No one had invited him to join the tour—so really, what was the point of tagging along?
The group visited several urban landmarks, cultural museums, and art galleries, followed by lunch at a five-star restaurant.
In the evening, the trip continued to an elite shopping center.
As before, Al didn't walk at the front with Nayala or the Valendra family, instead trailing at the very rear, grouped with the guards.
Some mall visitors even assumed he was a personal assistant or some teenage aide—since he was walking with the bodyguards but wasn't wearing their uniform, nor was he helping carry any of the elite family's shopping bags.
Al didn't mind.
To him, being in the shadows allowed him to observe everything—with a clear head.
This task from Mother is really troublesome. I hope there won't be any more missions like this in the future. Al thought to himself.
Huff… whatever, at least I don't have to do anything annoying.
I need to note this down for my mission—'this family is way too strict about formalities.'
As evening approached, the group arrived at the heart of the city—right in front of the sparkling, towering Aria Plaza Mall.
A massive shopping complex with ultra-luxury zones, it was owned by one of the most influential global companies in the world: Aria Group.
Its facade gleamed like a giant crystal, and every visitor had to pass through high-level security screening.
Their presence was dazzling, especially Sarah and Nayala, who were both top-tier celebrities.
Lysha was also quite well-known, even though she was just a university student. Still, her status as a Virellano couldn't be denied.
Some people began whispering while secretly snapping photos.
David was no less dazzling than them, especially in the eyes of the visiting girls and the high-class socialite ladies. Just like his sisters, he was incredibly popular among the elites.
Not only because he was a Virellano, but because his own achievements were already something to be proud of.
Meanwhile, Al was a bit different from them.
Of course, no one recognized him, and no one seemed interested in looking his way—especially when David and his sisters had already become the spotlight of the scene.
Dressed neatly in casual attire, Al gazed at the mall for a moment. He recognized the logo and the interior design—it familiar. But he chose to keep that to himself.
In front of him, several members of the Valendra family—who had been treating him like an unimportant extra all this time—suddenly spoke up.
Their resentment was still burning, especially after being forced to bow their heads to Al earlier that morning.
"Hey, kid! Watch your step—this isn't a street market!"
"Bet you've never even been to a place like this, huh?"
"Try not to get confused by the glass elevators or escalators, haha…"
A few chuckles sounded from behind—classic mockery from people who thought they were superior. Ironically, the Valendra family could only afford to visit this mall because they were being treated by the Virellanos.
They dared to sneer at Al again because Edward and Sandra weren't around, and Sarah and Lysha didn't seem interested in interfering.
Al stared at them. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, but his body slightly tensed.
"So, you've gotten brave again just because my father's not here? Aren't you afraid I might report you again?" he said, half-teasing, half-mocking.
They went silent, of course—intimidated by Al's threat.
But for them, that was already enough. At least it served as a small payback for their humiliation earlier.
David, who had been watching from the front of the group, stepped over and casually patted Al on the shoulder with his signature laid-back act, trying to ease the tension.
"No need to be so harsh, Al," he said loud enough for the others to hear.
"These lovely ladies were just worried about you. Maybe this is your first time in a luxury mall... or maybe your first time in a mall at all?"
The women—already a bit older—suddenly looked shy at being called "lovely ladies," their stiff expressions softening with a hint of pride.
"Relax. As long as you don't touch anything weird or expensive, you'll be fine. If you're interested in something, ask me or one of our sisters, alright?" David added.
Al felt too lazy to look at him and chose to turn his gaze elsewhere—coincidentally toward the main gate. Something slightly caught his eye, and a few seconds later, a smile appeared on his lips.
He then turned back to David and patted his shoulder.
"Hmph... I don't want to interact with a liar like you. So stay away. You better focus your eyes on your so-called lover instead. Cause she might get angry at you." he said shortly.
David looked at him, confused and unsure what to say.
Huh, how could Nayala possibly get mad if I'm teasing you? he thought, puzzled.
But he was also somewhat irritated—especially when he saw members of the Valendra family slightly shocked hearing Al call him a liar.
He panicked a little and quickly tried to fix his image.
"Al, I don't mind if you accuse me however you like just to make yourself feel better. But you shouldn't say something like that in public," he said, trying to sound mature and wise.
Al let out a small chuckle.
"Hehe. So I can call you whatever I want in private instead?" He said. "In that case..."
He leaned closer, bringing his lips to David's ear and whispered—words that only the two of them could hear.
"Liar. You're a liar. A… li–ar..."
David instantly stepped back.
"What the hell are you doing, Al?!" he said, slightly irritated.
With an innocent face, Al replied,
"You said I could call you whatever I want in private, right? Whispering counts as private, doesn't it?"
"That's not what I meant!" David snapped.
"Oh? Then what? Don't tell me by private you meant... something more intimate? Like, in a room? Alone? Wow... I thought you were a straight guy," Al said, crossing his arms in front of his chest mockingly.
David was stunned, and so were the others.
But Nayala quickly came to David's rescue.
"Al! Don't you say bad things about David! If anyone's bad here, it's you!" she shouted angrily, pointing at Al's face.
"Ohooo… the liar couple is making their move," Al teased.
Nayala, visibly furious, moved closer to David and glared back at Al.
"You're the liar! Not David!" she yelled again. "And besides… David doesn't like men, so don't stain his name with your lies, because he's a real man and we—"
Before she could finish, David immediately cut her off, covering her mouth and whispering,
"Nayala, don't get provoked. Remember, we're in public. Don't let our secret slip," he said, referring to the fact that they had already slept together.
Realizing what he meant, Nayala froze and looked around nervously—people were already giving them strange looks, including her own parents.
Al, fully aware of the situation, pressed even harder,
"And we... and we what? Why are you stopping her, David? Are you two going to lie again?"
David quickly released his hold, and Nayala continued,
"I mean... and... with him I feel happy! David's just stopping me because I tend to overpraise him! Don't misunderstand!" she said awkwardly.
David nodded quickly, and fortunately, the others didn't make a big deal out of it—they just accepted her explanation.
Al smirked coldly but said nothing more. That was enough of a blow for both of them.
Sarah, who had been busy with her phone all this time, noticed the tension and stepped in.
"Enough. We don't have time for this. Stop wasting energy on this brat," she said to the others, especially David and Nayala.
"And you, Al—this mall is mostly filled with the elite. Don't do anything weird that'll embarrass the Virellano family. It's already good enough that you chose to stand with the bodyguards. Just stay like that and behave."
Al let out a quiet sigh. The one person he least wanted to talk to was the one giving him orders. He didn't have the energy to respond.
"Fine," he muttered lazily.
Meanwhile, Lysha, who wasn't far away, glanced over from the corner of her eye. She said nothing, but the way her jaw clenched slightly made it clear—she didn't exactly like what had just happened.
She still didn't understand why Al had to be here in the first place.
It was his first time being brought to a family outing like this, and it was already a mess. Instead of turning it as an opportunity... hiss... why the hell did he even have to come along? She cursed inwardly.
Moments later
The group walked through a golden-blue crystal-themed corridor. Not far ahead was the VVIP section—an exclusive zone that could only be accessed by those with special authorization and virtually unlimited bank accounts.
Some Valendra family members grew curious and began heading toward it.
"Eh, you probably shouldn't," Sarah said quickly, stepping in front of them.
"That area has extremely strict rules. Not everyone can go in."
Privately, Sarah grumbled.
I could enter, sure. But bring all this crowd? No way. Even in the regular VIP section, a single clothing item could cost as much as a standard apartment unit. Trying to treat all these people would bankrupt my family.
The Valendra group nodded in disappointment, but they understood.
"Wow… So even being elite isn't enough to get in?"
"Guess it's true—there's always a higher sky above."
Sarah quietly sighed in relief. At least they knew their place.
Suddenly…
Footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Powerful. Elegant. Commanding.
The presence of the approaching group immediately drew everyone's attention. Shoppers stepped aside. Security personnel stood straight.
Leading the group was a young woman—extraordinarily beautiful and elegantly dressed. Even Sarah, known as a top-tier celebrity, felt a rare sense of rivalry the moment she saw that woman.
Her long, straight hair shone like moonlit midnight, perfectly styled. She wore a formal uniform with a small Alasia Group emblem.
Behind her followed a male and female assistant, both carrying tablets and limited-edition branded bags. Then came a line of elite bodyguards walking in perfect formation, as if choreographed.
She was Aiza Hiruzen, Chairwoman and young CEO of Alasia Group, a global multi-continental corporation rivaling the world's top conglomerates.
The crowd began whispering.
Most of the business elites in the area instantly recognized her presence—
Whispers filled the air:
"That's... Aiza Hiruzen, right?"
"The young CEO of Alasia?"
"Damn, she's way more beautiful than in the photos…"
"Oh my God, should I start thinking about adding another wife now?"
"Wow. She's just as stunning as Sarah Virellano. I'd be the happiest man alive if I could get either of them—better yet, both! Haha."
All the gazes that were previously fixed on Sarah, Nayala, and Lysha were now drawn toward Aiza, an equally breathtaking sight—a new source of eye candy.
David was no exception. He didn't even blink, his eyes filled with admiration and dazed fascination.
Beside him, Nayala pinched his arm lightly, jealous, but David seemed hypnotized.
Living with my sisters has made my standards for women ridiculously high. Nayala might be top-notch… but this girl, she's on par with my sisters. Guess my fantasies will shift a bit toward business-type girls for a while. He thought mischievously.
And among everyone reacting to her presence, only one person remained unfazed—Al.
His eyes were calm. Not amazed, not surprised. As if… he already knew her.
Aiza, walking with graceful authority, glanced briefly toward Al. Her steps halted for a split second—just a moment—before she resumed walking.
As they got closer, David, without thinking, stepped forward.
"Excuse me, miss... I'm David, from the Virellano family. I—"
Aiza looked at David from head to toe.
Not a single word came out of her mouth.
The female assistant carrying her bag took half a step forward.
"Please move aside."
Her tone was flat and firm.
It felt like a cold invisible wind had pushed David backward.
He instinctively stepped back.
Rejected.
Completely.
For the first time in his life.
His face flushed red with embarrassment, his body stiff, trembling slightly.
Meanwhile, Nayala, watching the whole thing, grew even more annoyed—her eyes narrowing sharply at him.
When Aiza finally stood right in front of Al, she slightly turned her head.
Al casually raised his hand a little and greeted her with a bright, relaxed smile.
"Hello, young lady."
Everyone froze.
Sarah and Lysha were visibly shocked at Al's audacity—acting like some random flirt in public. Given his image as a womanizer, their opinion of him only worsened.
He… actually dared to do that? They thought in unison.
Yet, deep inside, a small part of them anticipated something.
If even David was ignored that brutally… what will happen to Al? Sarah thought, expecting him to be crushed immediately.
But then—Aiza smiled.
She waved lightly as she walked past him.
And it seemed—just barely—that she even nodded her head slightly toward him, a gesture almost invisible to anyone not paying close attention.
Then she straightened her posture again and continued walking past him without a word.
Her assistants and bodyguards showed no reaction to Al's 'rude' behavior—instead, they gave faint, polite smiles.
Al just smirked faintly.
Aiza's entourage entered the VVIP area, her guards standing like living walls outside.
Meanwhile, Sarah and the others were utterly stunned.
Huh? What did I just see? Sarah thought.
She exchanged glances with Lysha—both looking equally bewildered.
The Valendra family members started whispering among themselves. Nayala, meanwhile, was trying to snap David out of his trance.
David looked the most shaken of all.
What? She ignored me but greeted that orphan kid? he muttered in disbelief, his heart burning with jealousy and confusion.
Anger and envy began to swirl within him, wrapped in the disbelief of witnessing something that should've been impossible.
Then David, who had started to calm down, tried to rationalize it in his mind.
No! The one who stopped me earlier wasn't miss Aiza—it was her assistant. Maybe that girl also wanted to greet me but got blocked. And Al's just their scholarship kid, so it makes sense they'd recognize him… right?
He thought, desperately trying to make sense of the impossible.
But are they really that close to tolerate his rude behavior like that?
Lysha whispered to Sarah,
"Al was a scholarship kid from Alasia Group, right? Maybe it's just coincidence that this Aiza girl happens to know him," she concluded.
Sarah nodded slightly, accepting the explanation—since the alternative was too hard to believe.
Al, overhearing them talking about him again, sighed and said,
"Heh… still coming up with theories? You guys can't even see how close that girl and I are."
He shook his head with a faint smirk.
And with a mocking grin, he added,
"Unlike a certain liar boy who just got dumped on the spot."
David clenched his fists in anger but held himself back.
Sarah snapped back coldly,
"Tch. Who'd even bother coming up with theories about you? It's obvious you're just her scholarship kid. You should be grateful that she even acknowledged you. That's already a once-in-a-lifetime luck for someone like you."
Al waved his hand dismissively, looking unconcerned.
"Whatever. Whatever. Believe whatever you want," he said, ending the scene once again.
Sarah turned her face away and walked off, aware that they were still in public—it wasn't the right place for another outburst.
Meanwhile, Lysha and Nayala tried to calm David down, pulling him away from his spiraling thoughts and anger.
David, finally regaining his senses, looked around in a panic at Lysha and Nayala's expressions. He stammered:
"Ah, that… it's nothing. I just wanted to build a connection with Alasia Group… that's all."
They nodded slightly, not wanting to drag it out—though they both knew it was a lame excuse.
"What's so great about Alasia Group anyway…" Nayala muttered, pouting.
Al remained silent.
His smile never faded.
And with that, they continued the rest of the day's activities, preparing themselves for the grand event later that night.
---