Alira went inside her residence when the boys who bullied Caroline ran outside. They bowed to her and she saw fear in their eyes.
One of the guards told her about what happened on the rooftop. She was glad Caden came at the right time and was able to save his sister.
"What? I don't want someone following me around." Caroline pouted.
Caden walked toward the couch and sat down, crossing his legs. Then he stared at Caroline. Alira just stood on the side while looking at the two. And she wondered why the Jackson twins were there.
"Caroline, they already found out about you. I can't just do nothing knowing that they will come for you." Caden started.
Alira didn't know exactly what was happening. Caden's sudden appearance, transferring to Golden Oak in the middle of the school year and leaving his position in Flousia was a bit strange for her. Listening to him right now confirmed that there was really something going on. Something dangerous.
Then Caden turned and looked at her.
"They found out about both of you." He said making her heart race.
She frowned. "What do you mean? Is that the reason you came back?"
Caden nodded and took a deep breath. He reached out his hand, asking them to sit on the sofa across from him.
"Jonathan Trekker, known to us as Benjamin Miller. My foster grandfather escaped from prison three years after being captured. You know about him, Alira. He orchestrated the attack on the palace twelve years ago. I knew they will eventually find out about my engagement with you. A week ago, we received intel that he came here for you. Then earlier, he also found out about Caroline." Caden said.
She gulped. She never met Benjamin Miller, but she heard a lot about him. Caden's mother grew up knowing that Benjamin was her father, but later they found out that he was not the man they thought he was.
His real name was Jonathan Trekker. He was the boss of the most notorious Mafia Clan in another country. They escaped from the law and came to Flousia under a different name.
"B-But the Miller Group is now being managed by mother. Is he still related to the company?" Caroline asked.
"No. The company and all its properties were transferred to my name. It was part of Benjamin's scheme. Mother was supposed to inherit them, but she declined so Benjamin said he will give them to me. He thought we would never find out about his treachery. He wanted to use me by gaining our trust, but he didn't expect he would get caught. Brie got all the information about his properties and his bank accounts. Because of that, Dad and Uncle Luke were able to seize all of them."
"So if we already have all his wealth, why was he able to escape from prison? If he had nothing to give, how did he escape?" Caroline asked.
Caden looked at them intently. "Someone helped him."
She was silent. She thought the events twelve years ago would never happen again. It was both agonizing and traumatizing for all of them. She remembered she was unable to sleep for months and had to be checked by a psychiatrist. She felt like she was being watched and followed all the time.
"Why didn't you tell me? And what can we do? I-I mean—" She started to tremble.
She was scared. That day something happened and it suddenly came back to her memory. She stared at Caden and there she saw his eyes like the way they looked twelve years ago.
Caden stood up and rushed to her. He pulled her into his arms, embracing her.
"I'm sorry. It was my fault. You shouldn't have seen that." He said.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to not think about that incident. It was their secret. She never told anyone about it. She kept it for twelve because she knew Caden did it to protect her.
She wrapped her hands around him and pressed her head on his chest. She heard his heart beating fast.
"No, it wasn't your fault. I was just scared." She said.
Caroline and the Jackson twins had no idea what they were talking about. But they felt that the pain and scar in the past were left unhealed.
Caden turned to his sister.
"Caroline, I know you grew up without anyone beside you. You're not used to having a bodyguard so I asked Stephen to accompany you. He's a good fighter and can protect you. He will be with you closely, but I have assigned a security team for you. They will guard you from afar. Please follow my orders. This is for your own good." Caden said.
Caroline nodded. "Fine. Because you told me to. I will obey you. Only you. I will not follow anyone's orders."
Caden shook his head and then patted his sister's head.
"You'll inherit Miller Group. You should take care of yourself." He said.
Caroline was surprised. "What? But why?"
Caden smiled. "My place is in Flousia. Not here. I already talked to mom about it. You may be an untitled royal, but from now on, you are an heiress."
Then a group of people came inside. Alira was surprised to see her twin brother, Lucas followed by Elisa and Elijah, the son and daughter of the King and Queen of Flousia and Caden's cousins.
"Everyone, this is my sister Caroline. She is also a target of Benjamin. Caroline, this is Elisa and Elijah, our cousins. And this is Lucas, Alira's twin brother. And those two are Stephen and Skylar Jackson." Caden introduced the rest to his sister.
Caroline was speechless and just nodded while Elisa had a smile on her face.
"Our parents had been fighting the Trekker Clan for years. They thought everything had ended when Benjamin or Jonathan was caught. But it did not. Now, that we have the same power as them, it is our time to fight them. This may be the start of our nightmare, but if we do this together, we can finally end this fight for good." Caden said in a serious tone.