The Manipulated Villainess

"What are you doing here?"

It was Nathan Woo who finally spoke up and broke the silence that goes on for more than a minute. He regarded Cassandra Lim all the time, locking gaze with her. Then he finally turned to Aston but the latter shook his head. He didn't know what brings the Moyan Boss into his apartment unannounced.

Cassandra slightly shook her head, trying to snap herself back to her sense. Then she also turned to Aston. "I came to talk with you but... " She briefly glanced at Nathan before she shifted her gaze back to Aston and said, "I will come back later."

Aston understood that she didn't want Nathan to know about her purpose. "I don't know what you want to discuss with me but I think it will be okay, Cassandra. Nathan is never unreliable."

"I know," Cassandra's response came very fast. Briefly glancing back to Nathan, she added, "But it's my gang matter. I can't share it openly."

"I will leave," Nathan spoke up. "I'm here to have a casual chat with my friend. I already did that and it's fine." He calmly said and grabbed his car keys.

"See you later, Aston." The Reyon Boss said and walked out of the actor's apartment.

"What is that, Cassandra?" Aston asked and slightly frowned. "I thought that you wish to get back with him. What's that attitude?"

Cassandra took a seat on the couch and placed her bag beside her. "Maybe I'm finally not blinded anymore. I understand that things don't always go as I wanted." She paused and repeated the words Nathan said to her that night. "Things aren't simple."

"I never thought you will say that. But Cassandra, if you really want him, don't you think you should try and try again without giving up? It's not like Nathan don't feel the same about you." Aston said and sat opposite the Moyan Boss.

"Is that how you make yours work out? By constantly pursuing the Chairwoman?" She asked with an almost joking tone.

Aston simply nodded. "It's not easy but you need patience if you want to embrace someone with a hidden scar."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes when she heard his response. She knew that he was having a point but in her case, she was the one who caused that scar. It's tormenting to attempt giving up on him but... she didn't have the courage to continue anymore. It's just that... she was afraid to get more hurt than now.

She was trained ever since she was young and she can endure a lot of physical pain but... mental ones were too hard to deal with!

"Not everyone is patient like you, Aston Kang." She finally remarked in a low voice.

Aston sighed and then remained quiet for a while before he asked, "Then what brings you here?"

Cassandra was too distracted that she almost forgot her purpose of coming here. Recalling her meeting with the Prime Minister, she asked, "Do you know anything about the Blackhood?"

Blackhood? The actor's eyes flickered. How did she even know to ask that question?!

"What do you mean?" He inquired and the Moyan Boss slightly smiled.

"I was right. You know about them." Cassandra made a deliberate pause and continued by saying, "I know that you're the one who went after Lester Yun. But tonight, I heard that he was caught by the Blackhood. Are you working with them? That's not the Pacesetter's style."

"Just what do you want to know, Cassandra? Who told you about the Blackhood?" His eyes flickered again when a possibility crossed his mind. "You met Peter Jung?"

"You're great," Cassandra remarked. "But I don't understand. Why do you work with the Blackhood?"

"I have my reasons." Aston simply responded. However, Peter Jung's action distracted him. "Why did you meet Peter Jung?"

"That's also my business, not yours."

Aston turned away and thought of the possible reasons for them to meet. The highest possibility was that... Peter Jung offered her some task. The task might be... he darted his eyes to Cassandra and his expression screamed one thing - disappointment. "Did he ask you to rescue someone?"

Cassandra raised a brow. Since when did he know so much about the Prime Minister. "How do you -"

"Who is it? Lester Yun or... Shara Lee?" Aston asked, cutting her off. His face turned so serious now to the point where it even amazed the Moyan Boss.

"Don't worry. It's not Lester Yun. I have no intention to rescue that psychopath." Cassandra thought that her response would change Aston's demeanor but... she was wrong.

It's not Lester Yun? That means... it's Aria! Peter Jung was trying to get her back! Just the thought of it made Aston's face darkened. "Don't do that." He uttered.

"Why?" Cassandra asked, confused. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It has," Aston argued which made Cassandra sighed. What's wrong with him? She thought that he made no sense until...

"Shara Lee. The one who is held by the Blackhood... is my sister."

The Moyan Boss was always calm but this revelation was enough to make her eyes grew wide! That long lost sister?! She used to be friends with Aston and Nathan before they knew her identity and she still remembered how much Aston Kang searched for his sister. That sister was held by the Blackhood?! But the Prime Minister said that Shara Lee worked for him! That means...

"She only knows the truth a few days ago. She has been working for Peter Jung even before we reunite." Aston explained when he understood Cassandra's thought.

Cassandra gathered her thoughts and try to solve the puzzles. "Are you not in your right mind, Aston Kang? Your sister is held by the Blackhood and you don't want me to rescue her? What nonsense is this?"

"Everything has a reason, Cassandra," Aston replied. "I can't say the details but I want you to know that my sister stays there with her will. If not, do you think I will just sit here and chat with you? If she is really caught, I will already rush there to rescue her. I will even burn down the base of the Blackhood if necessary."

Cassandra thought that Aston had a point. Even if it was hard to rescue her alone, he had a friend like Nathan who will help him no matter what the task was. It won't be hard for the two men. "You're really hard to understand, Aston Kang." She paused when something crossed her mind.

"I don't have a connection with the Prime Minister but as you already know, my late father had. Even if I can turn down the task, I don't think he will stop. From what I saw, he is very determined about this." She added.

Aston wondered what he would do. Peter Jung was such a headache and just as Cassandra said, he won't give up easily, especially on Aria. Why was he so obsessed with her?! Maybe... Aria knew something about him which he wanted to keep hidden? It's possible as it seemed like his sister had worked for him for many years now.

Just when he was about to speak up, he was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. He had so many visitors tonight and it never happened before!

"Excuse me." He said and rose from his seat to get the door. When he opened, he raised a brow.

"Nicole?" Didn't she say that she will be meeting her stepmother?

"Aston," Nicole muttered and the actor quickly pulled her in and closed the door.

"Is there something wrong? You don't meet Garcia Han?" He promptly asked.

Nicole shook her head. "I go but I came back before entering the house. I will just meet her some other day."

Aston knew that she felt discouraged to meet her stepmother as it always ended in an argument. So, he didn't ask her why. "What about Leon?"

"Leon is also on his way to meet Shara. He will call me when he reached there. He had work to do, so it's only been an hour since he left the city."

"Alright. We can wait here." He said and hold her.

Cassandra was walking towards the door to check on Aston as he took longer than she thought. She slightly raised a brow when she saw the couple.

Nicole saw an unfamiliar woman who was coming out from the living room and glanced at her for a while before turning to Aston. "You have a guest?"

Aston nodded and they walked closer to Cassandra. "She is Cassandra Lim," Aston said but he struggled, thinking of what more to say. He didn't know if Cassandra was okay with revealing her identity.

"Nice to meet you, Chairwoman Yang. I'm Cassandra Lim and I look after the Moyan Gang. I'm an old friend of Aston." Cassandra said, noticing how Aston struggled for words to say.

Leader of Moyan Gang? A woman? Nicole raised a brow. "You're a gang Boss? Like Nathan?" She asked, amused.

Cassandra let out a chuckle. No one outside the gang circle had ever responded that way when she introduced herself. They always looked at her with disbelief or sometimes... scared. She finds the young Chairwoman too amusing! But she already knew Nathan?

"You're right. I'm a gang Boss." She said, regarding Nicole with a little smile.

"She is someone special to Nathan," Aston added which made Cassandra glanced at him with displeasure yet he feigned ignorance and only looked at Nicole.

Someone special to Nathan? A lover? Nicole smiled as she was always happy to meet someone from Aston's side. "Nice to meet you too, Miss Lim."