Over the weekend back in Manes, Ryu was thinking of ways to get Ray to lend him money not knowing Jin was in town with Cassandra as they were there to sign the papers for the investment in their grandma’s business with Auntie Soh.

“Get it?” Ryu asked after explaining his entire situation to Ray who was busy scrolling on his tablet reading updates from Marcel without noticing how serious the matter was.

“Hmm…” Ray hummed skeptically wondering about Ryu’s point of telling him the entire story as he pretended to read his report. Ryu couldn’t stand any longer with the pretense that he decided to just tell his point.

“I need to borrow some money from you,” Ryu said solemnly. Ray looked up at his brother and thought about it carefully as he remember Ryu said it was an investment.

“Huh? What? What did you say earlier?” Ray tried to clarify as Ryu repeated himself. “I need to borrow some money from you.”

“No, not this. The earlier sentence.” Ray asked again.

“I am investing in a business,” Ryu repeated.

“Whose? How much in total? Why are you investing more than what you have? What’s going on?” Ray questioned as Ryu put both hands up in surrender.

“Were you even listening?” Ryu was frustrated as Ray chuckled, putting away his tablet.

“Alright, promise. I will pay attention now.” Ray said seriously as Ryu had to explain the entire eventful week to him right from Jin’s investigation up to saving Melody and her family from the harassment of Jeremy’s gang. Feeling extremely furious, Ray slammed a piece of plank wood broken into half by the side of the greenhouse.

“What is he thinking?! That bastard, I vow I will bring him down to his demise one day!” Ray vented as Ryu helped Ray to dust off wood chips from his hand.

“So, are you going to lend me another ten thousand?” Ryu asked feeling embarrassed.

“I’m broke…” Ray said blatantly. In fact, he wasn’t exactly broke but nearly half of his savings had been invested into Auntie Soh’s business already.

“Quit lying! I know you have that small amount. Help meeee…” Ryu whined as Jin felt it was time to step in and help out.

“He is really broke. We are both shareholders now.” Jin said as he walked out of the greenhouse with Cassandra where they were hiding earlier.

“What are you both doing here?!” Ryu asked surprised.

“Signing the investment papers with Auntie Soh. What do you think we are doing here? Hearing about the change of your marital status?” Jin couldn't help but tease as Cassandra and Ray chuckled.

“Young boy, how much have you invested?” Cassandra questioned as Ryu raised three fingers.

“Three thousand?” Cassandra asked as Ryu shook his head.

“Thirty thousand?” Ray guessed and Ryu nodded.

“Thirty thousand Ryu!” Ray bellowed as Ryu stood trying to calm him.

“Plus… Thirty thousand plus. I had no choice! It was to pay off their debt with interest! I really don’t want to see them being harassed any further and it was very dangerous back then. Ray, you need to understand…” Ray raised his hand at his brother to stop him from continuing.

“What’s this ten thousand for?” Ray asked calmly.

“To help the business operations become more effective…” Ryu explained.

“And I am sure you have a business proposal?” Ray guessed as Ryu instantly emailed over a copy to Ray’s email.

Ray took a look at the entire file. Feeling satisfied he pass it to Jin and Cassandra to review. They all nodded and felt the proposal was feasible. The brothers knew Ryu was trained in the sales and marketing department for a reason since young and their dad wasn’t wrong that Ryu had a talent for it.

“So, so… Are you going to lend me the money?” Ryu asked worriedly to everyone.

“But I told you I am broke,” Ray repeated as he smiled secretly.

“So am I.” Jin followed with a smirk as he adjust his glasses.

“Tsk… Just how much exactly have both of you invested in grandma’s business?” Ryu asked feeling annoyed.

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“I am not broke though!” Cassandra raised her hand playfully as Ryu’s eyes brightened up a little but frown at the sight of Jin’s scary face.

“It’s alright. I will find my own way.” Ryu finally decided to give up disappointingly as he pout his way back into the house only to be stopped by Ray’s voice.

“You know what? Only if you make me the shareholder, I would consider.” Ray folded his arms as Ryu turned around and blink as he was wondering if he was joking.

“And me a shareholder too!” Cassandra once again raised her arm.

“Are … are … you all serious?” Ryu questioned.

“If you’re not serious about making any of us a shareholder then, forget about the investment,” Jin warned as Ryu jumped up and down in excitement before hugging Cassandra but was stopped by Jin before Ryu could touch her. “Hands off!” Jin warned before adjusting his glasses as Cassandra couldn’t help but giggled by Jin’s side.

“Just one of you will do! You’re the best bro!” Ryu praised as he went to hug Jin instead who rejected him and yet still got crushed before he went to hug Ray who was chuckling.

“So, when are you going to make her my sister-in-law? Thirty thousand plus and another additional ten thousand as dowry isn’t a bad price if you take a closer look at it. I suppose other shareholders will soon be interested in this investment too.” Ray didn’t hesitate to tease Ryu as Ryu quickly covered Ray’s mouth to shut him up.

“Ray! It’s an investment in a business! Nothing personal! Please, be careful of what you say! There’s a lot of stalkers!” Ryu scolded and smacked Ray. Ray laughed out loud while tickling Ryu as everyone kept teasing him with Melody’s name.

They were waiting for Auntie Soh to be back from a walk with Daisy to sign the papers with her as the discussion ended. Before they knew it, Daisy’s bark was greeting them. Seeing Daisy barking happily at the family who were playing with each other, Auntie Soh felt delighted for Peter as he didn’t have to worry about his high flyers children. However, her thoughts lingered back to Ivy as she wondered how long more will this child sleeps.

In Ivy’s paracosm, Jason was facing the Guardian of the tower in room four alone.

“Who are you? Where’s Ivy?” Jason asked as he frantically walked around the empty white room with the Guardian sitting in front of him up high in whichever direction he was facing at.

“Calm yourself down. I am the Guardian of the tower of reflection. This is the room for you to recollect all of your reflections before the ultimatum is thrown at you both.” The Guardian explained as Jason stood staring back at her.

“So, tell me, What have you learned from the doors you went in?” The Guardian asked as Jason walked closer to her.

“Go on, question me whatever it is in your mind.” She waited. “Why does Ivy has to go through the sacrifice over and over again? Why can’t I for once be the one to be the sacrifice?” Jason calmly asked.

The Guardian scoffed.”It's a fact and destiny that you can never change.”

“Why? I have clearly let her drink the potion this time. I died for her. Why just why is she still suffering?” Jason vented at the Guardian as she bang her scepter on the ground.

“Oh is she?!” She yelled back startling Jason as the thunder and lightning strike suddenly resonated with the Guardian’s anger.

“Or is it you, who is suffering?” She asked fiercely leaving Jason questioning himself.

“She had lost her memory and even her feelings. Isn’t that what you have always wanted for her; peace and happiness?” Jason slumped himself down to the floor at her question realising she was right.

He was the one suffering watching her chasing after peace and happiness. “Was I wrong to protect her? Why am I sad when she is already safe?” He questioned himself.

“You’re only like this because she too tried to do the same in protecting you and is doing better than you are not partly because it’s her destiny but because the power of her love for you would be an everlasting proof that lives on even if she ever perishes.”

“The both of you only met to repent the sins of your selfish parents from the past and a vengeful brother who is full of jealousy. Her sacrifice was a result of your brother’s scheme. It was perhaps, better off the way it is.” The Guardian concluded.

“What is awaiting ahead of us?” Jason questioned hopelessly.

“It’s up to the both of you to take the lead.” The Guardian said as she helped him to stand up and showed him the pouch containing Ivy’s memories and feelings.

“Guard this well and make use of the power when the time comes.” The Guardian gently said as she led him out of the room.

When he was transported out of the room, he watched Ivy running ahead to him as she embraced him in her arms. “I thought you were gone! Remember we shouldn’t be parting! There are consequences!” Ivy said in a state of panic as Jason smiled.

“You still remember?” He asked as she shook her head.

“Remember what? It’s written there on the stand before you enter the room.” Ivy pointed at a creamy-looking stand and the inscription as Jason sighed and pulled her in for a hug, trying not to think about anything as he knew Ivy would be able to read his mind.

“Let’s head to the next room. It’s written there that we are almost near the end.” Ivy suggested as Jason took a moment to read the stand inscription till the end and nodded to her agreement.

Just as Jason predicted, Ivy entered the room alone. He stood fighting the forbidden door as he watched Ivy run towards him while the close door between them. “It’s only right for you to be happy and at peace even if I don’t right?” He said in his mind as he stood staring at the closed door.

“What’s the rush, Princess?” The Guardian asked as Ivy turned around, startled at her voice but the rush of her memories and feelings returning to her made Ivy struggle to stand while wincing as she saw the entire events from previous rooms rushing by.

At that moment she thought to herself, perhaps this was how it felt when they said a rush of emotions felt like. It was numbing all her senses as she couldn't react in time before another event hits her; the dance on the cloud, the aurora, the car accidents, the massacre of the King, the slavery she went through, and the worse was the potion and its consequences she knowingly drank before entering the tower.

She ended up slumping down to the floor not knowing whether to be sad or angry. She was lost for a moment wondering how much it must have hurt Jason to answer the same question each time she lost even more of her memories and feeling. Now that knowing Jason was the one whom she sacrificed for and the one she was destined to love but never will they have a happy ending, wasn’t only hurting her feelings but also yearning to fight for their happy days to last for eternity.