NIEL'S POV

"Then, Max is in danger!" I exclaimed.

"No, he won't. As far as we all know, Kros didn't know anything of his origin. Well, that's what I know, though I doubt it. He is one of the best palace guards. He is smart, just like his father. Still, even if he knows his origin, the king is safe with him."

"We are not sure about that, dad."

He holds my hand and squeezes it gently. 

"Not all the fruit from the slender tree is small. Likewise, not all the fruit that comes from the huge tree is also huge. In a crate of sour oranges, some are sweet. I saw that child grew up. He grew up well. He knows what is right and wrong. "

"Blood is thicker than the water."

"Baby, remember this. I think Nath already told you this. Trust Max. He knows what he is doing. He knows well what to do. He knows who is who, okay?"

"Fine. I can't argue with you about that. You seem to trust all Max's decision.""I did. When Max was just a kid, I already know how his brain runs. He's smart and knew things well. His father trusts all his decisions and his words. That's why his position is immovable despite Archie, Boun, and even Louis was born."

I nod my head then let out a deep breath. I don't have a choice. I can't argue with him more about it.

"Can you continue the story, dad?"

"Of course. Where are we? Ah, yeah. Barksville left his firstborn son in the river and announced to the kingdom that he has a twin daughter. I also did the same. But I don't think that's where the trouble in my family starts."

"The night you were born, the king and his queen and even the crown prince were in the house. Upon hearing the news spread that my wife has taken to the hospital, they immediately left the palace. The king was determined by what he wants. He wants my daughter betrothed to his heir. "When the nurse transferred the two of you to a nursery, we went there with the king and Max. At a young age, the king let Max choose between you and your twin. Max knows nothing of what is going on by that time. Remembering that time today makes me smile because his decision didn't waiver at all. "

"The king announces to the whole kingdom that my youngest child will be a crown princess. Their wedding will take place as soon as you step into the right age. Everyone is rejoicing and celebrating, except Minister Barksville. He will start plotting against me."

"King and I were aware of how he would move after that announcement. He started creating an army of his own, get the sympathy of other ministers, and make them switch to his side. We are on guard because of it, but we didn't think he had a wicked plan more than those things.

"On your 4th birthday, you were abducted. We almost turn the kingdom upside down, but we can't find you. After a week, we found you lying in a hospital bed with all the tubes and wires connected to your body."

"We wondered what happened to you. We thought you had an accident. But all our suspicions were wrong. You didn't have an accident, but you had surgery. At a young age, you undergo Transsexual surgery. They change your genitalia. Your body can't handle it. That operation almost took your life. We thought you are going to leave us, but you fought back. You survive, but it changes everything."

I covered my hand with my mouth. A Transsexual surgery at a very young age? I undergo that surgery out of greed and envy.

"After that, we hid you. The king issued an order just so that our hiding from you would be valid. Max visits you every day too. He became your playmate and your companion. You studied together."

"We still dress you like a girl because you are a woman. We tried hard to conceal what happened to you. We made sure that you were always happy too. We never let you see your genitalia. We were so worried that if you see your genitalia, you will keep on asking questions. We can't hide it all from you anymore."

"However, secrets can't hide forever. But we are worried for nothing. When you saw your genitalia, you look at it. Then, that's it. You continue taking a bath. You did not ask anything."

"When you reach 6, someone abducts you again. We thought you would be gone for a long time, but you were brought back at night. Nothing has changed for you. But you start avoiding your sister. After a year, the news suddenly broke that my twin was not the same girl. Evidence came out. They accused me of lying to the kingdom and the king. People sent a petition for my death and exiled my entire family. "

"The king can't do anything. He could not refuse the request of his subjects. We were corner. So the king issued a decree for my verdict. No trial took place. I was condemned by the king immediately."

"The night my sentence was issued, the king visited me in prison. He told me his plan. The order was all fake. The wine that I will take was also fake. He will also issue an order for the exile of my whole family. That one is also false. "

"Everything was well planned. I will not die, nor will my family be exiled. All I have to do is act very well to convince people. The guards who will deliver the wine for me are our allies. The ones who will take over my family are our ally's guards. "

"There is no perfect plan, same as there is no perfect crime. While you were away for exile, bandits attacked you. All the guards are unprepared. Your mother, as well as two brothers, died. Someone abducts your sister. You were left alone. The king ordered a secret search for you and your sister. The crown prince also helps to search for you. He is the one who found you. "

"I was devastated that time. I can hardly take care of you because I still can't find your sister. Max is the one who took care of you."

"Months passed, I still can't find your sister. The bandits who killed your mother and brother have been caught and convicted. We still haven't got any news about your brother."

"I decided to stop the search. People of the kingdom look alert to the secret search that took place. We live in our house secretly. There is someone secretly bringing us our food every day. One night, I decide to sneak out to find you, twin, again. I left you with the crown prince, which I wish I hadn't done. "

"The crown prince was followed when he went to our house. He was about to be killed, but you shielded the blow for him. They kidnapped the crown prince after that. They set the house on fire, leaving you behind so that you will burn together with the house."

"Nath found you before it's too late. He saved you and brought you to the hospital. He was able to sneak you into the hospital. He was also able to notify us of what happened."

"After that, I remember everything." I cut to dad's story.

"Hmm. I was happy that you forgot what happened. I prayed that you would not remember anything. You already suffered too much. That's enough already. But the result of your test was the reason for the king and me to plan everything. The cause of your amnesia was a poisonous drug that fed to you. We got a report that the drug that was found in your body, was the same drug that was found in the body of the deceased palace guard. "

"We already have a suspicion as to who did it all, but we can't get solid evidence. We can't get the lives of the paid people because they immediately take their lives. And since we don't seem to have any evidence, I decide to put you in. the family of Cardinal. I put my trust in them. I just watched over you from afar."

"Did you find my twin?" I asked, trembling with fears and pain.

"I did after a year. At that time, I was thinking of killing Barksville. He kidnapped you, put you in surgery, killed your mother and brothers, then abducted Meisha and claimed her as his. He even changed her name to Roshiel Megan Barksville. "

"Before Max's father's death, we got enough evidence against him. I promised the former king that I would give justice to my family as well as the death of Max's brother."

"Max's brother? What do you mean?"

"As you know, she has two sisters. One of them is fake."

"Don't tell me the Prime Minister did it."

"There is no one else in this kingdom that has an evil mind as him that is close to the king."

"How?"

"A month after your birth, the queen gave birth to a princess. After a month, she exchanged the baby and paid the nanny of the baby. However, the queen is not as stupid as he thinks she is. After all, the queen is also a mother. She knew if her child was her or not. For the safety of the real princess, she chose to remain silent. She accepted the child because it had nothing to do with what her father was doing. "

"Unknown to Barksville, the young princess was ill. He died after six months. The whole palace mourned what had happened, but they remained silent. There was no solid evidence that the king held against him. Also, Barksville's forces were too strong at that time. "

"Which of the two princesses is his son?" Anger is alive in my chest. I was mad at Megan. My life became complicated, and all of that was the work of someone out of envy."It's...."

"Mommmmmyyyyy! Wwwaaahhhh! Mommy Reigh ish scwared. There is a bang bang outside!"

Reigh voiced echoed the room. Archie put her down and let her run towards me.

"Is this ...?" My father asked while looking at Reigh.

"Your granddaughter. One of my twins."

He smiles and snatch Reigh from me. My daughter stopped crying and was shocked. She turned her head to see who would snatch her away from me. 

"Who are you?" Reigh asked tried her best not to sob.

"Your grandfather." Dad answer.

"Really?"

"Yes. Who made my beautiful grandchild cry?" My dad put Reigh on his lap and hug her.

"Bang bang outside." Reigh answer.

"You are safe now. Grandpa is here. You and your mother are safe now."

"How about Ryu?"

"Ryu is with your father. He is safe." I answer.

"But, I saw a bad guy. He's with Ryu."

"What?"

I looked at dad, scared of what Reigh said.

"Trust Max. He will do his best to get Ryu.

"What if they got my son?"

"I'll do my best to get him back and punish them all."

I looked at the door of the room. Max just enter the room.

I scan his body as the smell of blood mixes in the air. His pants have blood-stained. His left hand has blood also.

Fear crept into my body. 

"Max?" I called him, praying that my suspicion would be wrong.

"I'm sorry, Niel. I'm too late to save Ryu. They got him."

"No. Tell me your joking."

"As much as I wish that this is just a joke, I'm sorry."

"The blood ..." The strength of my chest pounding. I was having trouble breathing. My vision was blurring. Not my baby. Not Ryu.