The Manipulated Villainess

Cassandra Lim glanced at the file while maintaining her silence. She wasn't sure if she could tell Aston the truth.

Noticing her reluctance, Aston said, "You already have my word. Even if I go after this person, I won't hold you or your gang responsible. As you said, clearing my father's name is important for me."

The Moyan Boss observed the actor for a while before she nodded. "Fine. I will trust you." She opened her bag and take out a small file. "Take this. You will know it right away."

Aston took the small file from Cassandra and opened it right away. There was a photo, an old one. He instantly recognized one of the two men in the photo as Cassandra's late father. However, when he identified the other man, his eyes widened. "Isn't he... " He paused, looking at Cassandra with a stupefied face.

The Moyan Boss nodded. "Yes. He is Peter Jung, the current Prime Minister."

Prime Minister. The title repeatedly echoed in the actor's ears and he tightly clenched his fist. He was the father of Leon Jung and... he shut his eyes when Aria crossed his mind. Leon Jung was now Aria's husband!

Cassandra who was still staring at Aston was feeling quite confused. Why did Aston Kang react that way? The Prime Minister's son might be his girlfriend ex-fiance but it didn't mean that they had a connection.

"I'm not sure of the details but your father was a police officer. I think he discovered something about Peter Jung, maybe the crimes he committed. My late father's men weren't sure of it either." Cassandra added when Aston kept his silence for seconds.

Time passed by second by second until it became more than a minute yet the actor was still staring at the photo, not uttering any word.

"Aston Kang, is there something else? You keep on staring at that photo." Cassandra spoke up again as the silence was killing her. She was never that patient.

"No." He finally said. "Thank you for this information, Cassandra." He uttered, not even sparing the Moyan Boss a single glance.

"I'm repaying you. You don't have to thank me." She rose from her seat and glanced down at the actor. "I'll get going."

Cassandra walked towards the door but when she was just a step away from it, she turned around and glanced at Aston whose gaze was still fixated on the photo. "I want to say this again, Aston Kang. You are smart, so don't let the child bear the sins of its parents. It's unfair."

As someone who struggled all her for her father's crime, Cassandra hated it when such a thing happen. When Aston finally shifted his gaze to her, she left the apartment.

'A child shouldn't bear his or her parents crime.' Aston's mind was now filled with this sentence. He felt a tingling pain in his heart but it was enough to make him felt suffocated! However, the sound of his ringtone snapped him out of it.

It was a call from Aria. He was thinking about her and now, she called him as if she could read his mind even from a few kilometres away! He put down the phone and answered the call.

"Aria." He muttered in a low voice.

Shara was standing on the balcony in her house with a little smile on her face. However, her brother's unusual lifeless voice made her smile slipped. "Aston, what's wrong with your voice? Did something happen?"

Aston slightly shook his head though his sister couldn't see him. "No. I have busy schedules and I'm just tired."

Shara's brows furrowed when she heard her brother. "I think you should take a rest. You overwork yourself."

"I have to finish my current project first," Aston said. "Where are you? Are you home?" He asked, hoping to change the topic.

"Yeah. Leon is busy, so I'm standing alone on the balcony for some fresh air." Shara said with a little smile. "You said that you plan to buy a new house, right? How's it going?"

"There is a good one next to Nicole's house. I'm planning to buy that. I think it will be done by this week." Aston said though he glanced at the photo from time to time. It still caught most of his attention.

"Next to Nicole's house? Why don't you just live with her?" Shara blurted out.

"We're not married, so it's not convenient. If I stay near, then I might be able to protect her better." The actor muttered.

Having no idea of what's on her brother's mind, Shara smiled at his response. "Your mind is fully occupied by Nicole." She clicked her tongue and chuckled.

"What about you, Aria? Are you happy with Leon?" Aston promptly asked.

Shara felt like something was wrong. Maybe it's not just him being tired. "Do I resemble an unhappy person in your eyes?" She calmly said.

"No. That's not the case." The actor responded right away. He didn't want to make his sister displeased by asking her the same question all the time. What's more, he wished for her happiness the most.

"Aston," Shara muttered his name in a calm voice. "If there is something wrong, you can tell me. We are twins but I'm still older. You shouldn't shoulder everything alone."

"I know but... " He paused, giving a second thought of what he was about to say. "I was alone for too long without anyone to rely on. It's not easy to adjust. I'm sorry for making you worry." He finally said in a low voice.

Hearing his response pained Shara. How hard was life for him to say such things! She was sheltered and raised by the Jung's, so she didn't suffer much. However, it seemed to be the complete opposite for her younger twin brother.

"Aria, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I only want you to be happy." Aston spoke up again when he didn't hear his sister's response for a few seconds.

However, before Shara could say anything, he said, "It's getting late. You should rest now. Good night, Aria." He ended the call right away, leaving his sister in a daze.

Putting down his phone, he stared at the photo again before he put it away. Maybe he got a new mission which would be very challenging.

* * *

Shara was leaving the Gold Porcelain Museum after receiving a call from someone. It's not lunchtime yet and Leon was still busy preparing for an upcoming important exhibition.

Driving her car, she reached the main government office building. Then she gets off and hurried to one office. When she walked inside the office, she bowed to the man who was turning her back at him. "Do you ask for me?"

The Prime Minister turned around and without saying anything, he lifted his right hand and slapped Shara in the left face!

PAK!

Nevertheless, Shara stood still with her eyes glued to the floor. Maybe she already saw this coming. Maybe she was prepared for this.

"How dare you betray me and do that with my son!" Peter Jung growled with rage.

Shara remained still and her hands that were tucked to the sides were squeezing her dress. "Please calm down." She begged.

"Calm down? Do you expect me to be able to do that after you stabbed me in the back?" Peter Jung sharply glanced at the young woman when he said, "After spending some time with my son, you even dare to defy me now. Do you already forget who your master is?"

Shara quickly lowered her head. "I dare not."

As someone who always struggled to control his anger, Peter Jung tried hard not to use violence again. He went too far that night and lost his son because of that. He didn't want to let it happen again. After all, his son cherished this woman.

He took a seat on the couch and Shara adjusted herself and turned in his direction.

"I let you work with Leon so that you can report to me everything that he did. However, rather than doing that, you even colluded with him and aid him to go against my plan. You already pledge to do whatever I say. Do you think you can get away with this?" Peter Jung said, observing Shara who was standing a few steps away.

"You can punish me as you deem fit, Master. I will accept whatever decision you make." Shara responded, her gaze met the floor the whole time.

"Do you think punishing you will solve anything, Shara?" The Prime Minister deadpanned. "If I'm to punish you for all your defiance, even sacrificing your life won't be enough."

"What do you want me to do? I will do anything but... don't hurt Leon." She muttered. For the first time, she lifted her head and glanced at the Prime Minister. "Even if he is not your biological son, he's still the one you raised."

"You don't have to remind me of that. No matter what, Leon is my son. I never wish to hurt him." Peter Jung uttered in a cold voice. "If you want me to trust you again, you must show me your loyalty first."

Loyalty. Shara understood what the Prime Minister said. She squeezed her dress harder than before. Bracing herself, she lowered her head again and... dropped to her knees. "Please forgive me for my defiance, Master. It won't happen again."