Al turned toward the grand entrance, following Harun.
His footsteps echoed softly through the front hall of the massive house. Gleaming white marble floors reflected the warm light from a giant crystal chandelier overhead.
Tall walls adorned with golden carvings towered above him, and the soft scent of fresh flowers lingered in the air, coming from porcelain vases arranged with perfect symmetry.
Al finally stood before the doorway of a house that was supposedly his home.
Harun opened it, gesturing for Al to step inside.
Al stepped forward, and Harun remained outside, quietly closing the door behind him — the soft click marking the point of no return.
Now he stood on the threshold of a vast living room. His eyes immediately caught sight of a middle-aged woman standing at the center of the room, just a few meters away.
Al's eyes widened slightly.
This woman… should be my mother, Sandra Virellano.
Sandra Virellano stood gracefully in a pastel-colored dress that draped elegantly over her slender figure.
Despite her age, her face had hardly changed. Her skin was smooth, her eyes glassy—not from overwhelming emotion, but from a sudden wave of memory and guilt rising to the surface.
"My child…" she whispered, barely audible. "You… came back."
Her hand rose to cover her mouth, but she remained rooted in place. There was no rush toward him. No hug. No tears. Just… composed stillness.
Her gaze slowly moved over Al—his plain white shirt, slightly wrinkled; his simple black shorts; his clean but ordinary sneakers.
A black jacket hung from his hand, a backpack slung over one shoulder. Everything about him looked… normal. Far too normal.
There were no luxury brands, no flashy labels, nothing that hinted he belonged to the Virellano family.
His appearance wasn't bad. But in this world, simple meant inferior.
Sandra could only shake her head, forcing herself not to dwell on thoughts she shouldn't be having.
In the end, Al had spent his entire life living among the lowest levels of society. It wouldn't be fair to immediately expect something extraordinary from him.
She then offered Al a blossoming smile, though a little forced.
Standing behind Sandra were three young women, their features carrying the unmistakable Virellano lineage—flawless skin, elegant posture, and beauty that radiated high-class socialite energy.
And those must be three of my six sisters, Al thought.
Yeah… their faces do share a faint resemblance to mine.
They looked at Al the same way someone might examine an art piece that didn't belong in their gallery.
The first girl stared directly and confidently, her face unreadable.
The second didn't bother hiding her feelings. Her lips curled into a sneer, openly displaying rejection without saying a word.
The third seemed calm but kept a clear emotional distance.
Not far from them stood a young man. He wore a stylish yet casual outfit that fit him perfectly. His dark brown hair was neatly styled, his eyes deep brown.
He was handsome, and his smile… a little too perfect to be genuine.
Al looked at him a little more sharply than at the others.
Interesting, he murmured inwardly.
David Virellano—the boy the public believed was the family's sole male heir.
He stood casually, but his eyes told a different story. Suspicion. Rejection. Hostility. The position he had comfortably held for seventeen years was now threatened by the young man standing before him.
Al looked around at all of them. Not one moved. No greetings, no hugs. Just stares that dissected every detail of his appearance.
The room felt cold despite the warm lighting. The air grew dense with invisible social tension.
Al inhaled deeply—not from nerves, but as if preparing himself for a new kind of challenge.
"A-a… are you… my… mother?" he finally asked, his voice low and awkward, stuttering as if unsure what to say or how to act.
Sandra remained silent for a moment.
Then she took a shallow breath, composed herself, and gave him a small smile—sweet, yet oddly restrained.
"Yes son… yes... I am your mother," she replied gently before forcing a warmer smile onto her face. "Son… you've finally return."
But Al gave no immediate response.
The silence that followed only made the atmosphere more awkward.
She then turned slightly, gesturing behind her.
"And these are your sisters," she said, pointing toward the three young women standing nearby.
Then she motioned toward the young man beside them.
"This is David. He's the one who grew up with us… the boy who was switched with you. But don't worry," she added softly, "you're both still… my children."
Al merely gave a slight nod and lightly raised his hand in a casual greeting.
Before he could even respond properly, David had already stepped forward confidently, seemingly taking control of the situation.
A polite smile adorned his face, but his eyes held something else—sharp, calculating, and territorial.
He extended his hand and clasped Al's in a seemingly warm handshake. But the grip grew tighter—subtle dominance.
There was a faint tension in the handshake, like holding something unpleasant that must be tolerated for the sake of appearances.
He swung their joined hands for a little longer than necessary, as if analyzing Al down to his very essence.
I thought this kid had something in him, considering how difficult it was to dig up his personal information… but it turns out he's nothing special, David thought with disdain.
And then he smiled gently.
Meanwhile, Al's eyes narrowed slightly the moment David's hand touched him.
This kid? He actually... he muttered inwardly.
But before he could observe any further, David's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Your name is Al, right? I'm David," he said calmly. "I'm… the one who took your place."
"Maybe it's unpleasant for you to see me living a life that should've been yours. But in the end, we're both victims here. I hope you understand that."
He lowered his head slightly.
"And for all of that… I'm sorry. I hope… we can get along from now on."
Proud smiles immediately appeared on Sandra's face and the sisters standing nearby.
Al himself looked slightly taken aback.
Victims, you say? What a joke, he thought.
But in the end… he simply nodded without saying a word.
Seeing Al remain silent and quietly accept everything he had said, David let out a light chuckle, as though that alone was enough to establish dominance—and as if Al would be easy to handle.
He then turned toward the three girls behind him.
"Oh right, let me introduce our sisters," he said with a smooth gesture. "These are probably the most brilliant women you'll ever meet."
First, he pointed to the tall and graceful woman who gave a polite nod.
Aurielle Virellano, 25, wore a high-end, neutral-toned business suit.
Her makeup was light but flawless. Long black hair fell in elegant waves down her back. Her sharp eyes and composed expression gave off a professional, commanding presence.
Her elegance dominated the space—every feature meticulously sculpted.
"This is Aurielle, our eldest sister. She's the family company's CEO and Dad's top business diplomat. Assertive, logical… and very allergic to chaos."
Aurielle also took the opportunity to analyze Al.
So this is my actual youngest brother?
Yeah… his face does resemble ours. Though he looks a little tacky, she thought inwardly with a quiet sigh.
I just hope he fixes himself soon and doesn't drag the family name down with him.
Next, David pointed to the second girl, who stood slightly behind, exuding a softer vibe while keeping her distance.
Sarah Virellano, 24, a well-known singer and actress from the capital.
She wore a pastel flowy dress that moved gracefully with each step. Her wavy hair framed her face, her bangs enhancing her cute and delicate image.
Her beauty was soft and artistic—like a living painting.
"This is Sarah, our second sister. She's a famous singer and actress—her voice is known internationally. She's gentle… probably the least uptight one here. Hehe."
Even so, beneath the gentle aura she showed, Sarah's expression seemed faintly cynical, as if bracing for conflict.
This boy is supposed to be my brother? Really? Are you kidding me? Has the world gone insane? she thought, irritated for reasons she couldn't even explain.
Then David gestured toward the third girl, who had a white lab coat draped casually over her shoulders and stylish oversized glasses perched on her face.
She was absorbed in the notifications flashing across her advanced gadget.
Clarista Virellano, 22, a young medical researcher and biochemist. Cold, intelligent, eccentric. Her beauty resembled a luxury lab—sterile but undeniably high-value.
"And this is Clarista, our fourth sister. A genius medical researcher who just patented a rapid-healing serum. She's… well, more interested in molecules than in people."
David gave a proud nod, then patted Al on the shoulder with a false look of sympathy.
"Unfortunately, three of our sisters couldn't make it today," he added, casually but deliberately.
"Vianna, our third sister, is competing in an international martial arts tournament in Ninpo country."
"Elena, the fifth sister, is currently in Zuriaska country attending an international fashion festival. And Lysha, the sixth, is busy with university in the capital."
David turned back to Al with another smile—not warm, but laced with silent messaging. A map of dominance laid bare.
"Glad you're finally here," he said softly. "Though… yeah, I'm sure it'll take time to adjust."
But in his heart, David's thoughts were far sharper.
Look at you, boy. Showing up in plain clothes, looking completely out of place. You don't belong in this family.
In the end… they may call you family, but I'm the one they raised. I'm the one they trust.
And I'll be the one they continue choosing.
Al simply nodded and bowed slightly to them.
"I'm Al. Your younger brother. Please take good care of me," he said.
Sandra watched him, feeling a faint warmth in her chest. At last, this was Al's first interaction with his real siblings.
But that brief warmth was quickly disrupted—
Suddenly, Sarah broke her silence with a sharp tone, pointing straight at Al.
"Seriously? This is the lost child everyone talked about? I thought he'd be like us—but look at him. He's so… tacky."
Her voice cut through the room, sharp and hostile—a complete contrast to her sweet public persona.
"Sorry, but I can't accept this. Do you really expect us to live with him? What if he just brings disease into this house? He's probably just some street brat out there. And by the way—"
She narrowed her eyes, her tone icy,
"—I only have one brother, and that's David. Not this… creature."
Al, whose posture was still a little awkward after bowing, nearly stumbled in surprise at Sarah's words.
What's this? Am I being rejected before I've even done anything? he thought.
Sandra flinched, clearly shocked, but before she could speak, Aurielle turned to Sarah with a sharp glare.
"Sarah! What are you talking about?!" she said, her voice sharp with disbelief.
Sarah simply raised her brows and crossed her arms.
"What? I'm just being honest. This isn't some TV drama where we pretend to hug strangers. He might be blood, but family isn't just about DNA."
"Give him some money and cut ties. He doesn't fit. He'll only ruin our family's image."
"You can't say that. He's your brother too—how could you even think about driving him away?" Aurielle stepped forward as well, her expression turning firm.
"Sis, please don't call him my brother. I can't accept that. Maybe I never will. Look at him—do you really expect me to accept someone like that into this family?" Sarah shot back.
A rather heated argument soon broke out between the three of them.
Sarah—who was always blunt at home, completely different from the carefully maintained public persona she showed the world—clearly didn't want Al staying there.
Sandra and Aurielle, still holding onto some sense of rationality, tried to defend him.
As for Clarista, she remained silent. This kind of family conflict was never something she cared to involve herself in.
As long as Al didn't interfere with her world, whether he stayed or left made little difference to her.
Meanwhile, David watched the unfolding drama with a faint smile, clearly entertained by it all.
Al, the very subject of the argument, found the whole situation slightly amusing. He hadn't expected his first day in this residence to begin like this.
Troublesome.
Without bothering to involve himself, he simply walked over to the sofa and sat down. Casually picking up some fruit from the table, he quietly enjoyed the snacks laid out before him.
The sight left both David and Clarista slightly frowned as they glanced toward him.
They had expected Al to at least react to the argument somehow.
Instead, he looked completely relaxed.
At one point, Al even casually offered some fruit to the two of them.
Which only left them staring speechlessly.
Before long, the argument finally reached its end without any real conclusion.
"Ah… whatever!" Sarah said irritably, crossing her arms as her expression darkened. "If you all insist so much, then fine. Just keep him away from me."
Aurielle and Sandra could only let out deep sighs, completely unable to understand why talking to Sarah in one of her tantrum moods was always this exhausting.
The two of them immediately turned toward where Al had been standing earlier, wanting to explain things properly and show some concern.
But he was gone.
Only when they looked toward the sofa did they finally spot him sitting there comfortably, still enjoying the fruit and snacks as if none of this had anything to do with him.
"Al!" Aurielle suddenly snapped.
The shout startled him slightly, causing him to quickly look up while swallowing the piece of fruit already in his mouth.
"Oh, yes. What?" he asked casually. "The debate's over already?"
"Al! We were literally talking about you… and you're just... sitting there eating? Argh!" Aurielle exclaimed, visibly irritated.
Al merely let out a light chuckle.
"Ah… haha… I know," he replied lazily. "It's just… why make things so complicated?"
"Complicated?! What do you mean?" Aurielle frowned.
"I mean… just keep it simple."
He stood up slowly before continuing,
"If this is about whether I stay or leave, then just explain it to me directly. Is the decision mine, or yours?"
His gaze shifted briefly toward Sarah.
"As far as I know, Second Sister doesn't actually have the authority to decide that. The decision belongs to the family, then it should be up to Father and Mother."
Then he pointed at himself.
"So... if the decision is mine… then I want to stay. Having a family like this, why would I leave?"
After that, he looked directly at Sandra.
"But if Father and Mother want me gone, then just say it clearly. Stay or leave. If you want me to leave, just give me some compensation and I'll go."
He shrugged lightly.
"Simple, right? No need to take irrelevant words too seriously, and no need to keep arguing over something this pointless."
Everyone could only stare blankly after hearing that explanation...
Why did it sound so ridiculously simple?
"Al! That's not the point." Aurielle protested again. "We're trying to defend you, but you're acting like you don't even care."
"Yeah, Al. We just didn't want your sister's words to hurt you, so—" Sandra added.
But Al cut her off.
"It's fine, Eldest sis. Mother. No need to drag this out. Just tell me whether I'm staying or leaving."
Then he lazily glanced at Sarah.
"As for those hurtful words... yeah, they were rude. But they're still not enough to hurt me. Though... I hope it won't happen again in the future."
He pointed at himself.
"I... might be very hard to anger. But if someone keeps pushing me, maybe I really will get angry someday. And if that anger comes..."
His gaze suddenly sharpened, and for some reason, the atmosphere instantly turned cold.
"...this family won't be able to do anything to stop it."
Everyone froze at once, unsure how to react. It sounded strange—part warning, part arrogant boasting.
Yet somehow, it was enough to send chills down their spines, as if their instincts were screaming at them to never test those words.
Meanwhile, Al simply returned to his relaxed smile and sat back down, casually enjoying the snacks and fruits in front of him while waiting for Sandra's decision.
The others could only stare at each other awkwardly, but no one knew what to say.
---
After the tension settled down...
For some reason, the room fell silent. No one really knew how to continue the conversation.
Sandra awkwardly explained to Al that there was no way he would be kicked out, while the others only occasionally asked whether he liked the snacks.
Sarah had already left earlier. Eventually, Aurielle and Clarista also left to handle their own responsibilities.
Aurielle had company matters to deal with, while Clarista needed to leave the city to continue her laboratory research. She had only come home for a while to welcome her younger brother.
In the end, only Sandra, David, and Al remained there.
"Forgive them, Al. Your siblings are just… very busy. Especially Sarah—she's always been like that. I hope the two of you can get along in the future," Sandra said softly.
"The others wanted to be here too, but their schedules..." She gave him a hopeful smile. "I hope you understand."
Al simply nodded.
"That's okay, Mother. I'm not really familiar with family warmth either. It doesn't really bother me," he replied casually.
Then his gaze shifted toward David, who was still standing calmly beside Sandra.
Something about him felt... off.
Something only Al could see.
---