Inspirational quote: Chin up, prince or princess. Otherwise the crown or tiara slips.

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Anastasia was really annoyed. Why was Dr Kozak being so nice to her? Why wasn't he being very mean to her?

"Honestly Dr Kozak! Just point your gun trigger at me, and shoot me! I know you want to!"

Dr Kozak just looked at his gun in admiration before putting it back in his lab coat again.

"Esperanza. Are you crazy? Of course I'm not going to kill you. I would never kill you, you're too nice. And your pessimistic attitude is starting to really annoy me. You're never this negative about yourself. There must be some sort of reason behind all of this, isn't there?"

Esperanza didn't say anything, just thought something, not knowing that Dr Kozak could read her mind.

Well, she did know. She just forgot.

"There is a particular reason for your negativity, isn't there?" He wondered curiously.

Esperanza sighed, and nodded her head steadily.

"Well, would you like to tell me?" Dr Kozak asked her nicely.

Esperanza shook her head, and murmured something which was so tranquil that anyone could have heard a pin drop.

"I don't think that you'll be able to handle the situation in a very beneficial manner, Dr Kozak," she said to him, even though Dr Kozak had absolutely no clue on what that had actually meant.

Dr Kozak just blinked at her, asking her to rephrase what she meant, in English.

"I meant, I don't want to tell you in case you wouldn't understand," she rephrased, looking away from him.

Dr Kozak sighed, and placed his hand on his face in boredom.

"Come on, Esperanza. It's like you don't trust me anymore. What is the problem?"

Esperanza sighed as well, not removing her eyes from her fingers. Unexpectedly, she then brought out her phone from her bag before commanding Dr Kozak to do something.

"My mother sent me a really devastating text when we were all sleeping a few hours ago," she explained, giving her phone to Dr Kozak. "Read it."

Dr Kozak just stared at her phone, then looked at her with an emotionless expression on his face.

"What? You want me to read you and Lauriel's text conversation?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow at her.

Esperanza had an unbalanced expression on her face, then realised that before she had locked her phone, she had been reading her and Lauriel's text conversation.

Esperanza was going to text Lauriel more but then she realised that she was dead. Her death had hit her hard, she and Lauriel were actually pretty close when they were still alive, so Esperanza was probably going to forget that the poor girl was dead anyway.

Sadly.

"Huh? What. No. Sorry, get off that text conversation and click on the second one."

So Dr Kozak did just that. He read what Esperanza's mother had sent her twice in his head, gasping at the end of it all because it was way too tragic.

Hey, Esperanza. It's your mother here, and I hope you're doing fine in KOZAHKISTAN HEADQUARTERS.

You're probably never going to return until death when you see us all in heaven but that's fine.

"How is not returning home until death 'fine'?" Dr Kodak wanted to know, removing Esperanza's phone from his face as soon as he read that.

"I have no idea," Esperanza replied, sighing. "Just continue reading.."

So he did.

I know you haven't heard from me in a long time because we don't talk anymore, but I've got some terrible news regarding one of your seven brothers.... And I really think that you should listen.

We just got news this afternoon that one of them was driving... I'm not going to tell you which one because I think it's best if he stood and remained nameless.

All of a sudden, as your brother was driving, there was a car crash. And it wasn't his fault, don't worry.

Unfortunately, the car that had crashed into his car hit him at the front unprecedentedly and your brother's air bag came flying right in front of his face.

He was alone at this time of the dreadful event, and the person in the car that had crashed into him had been caught illegitimately drink driving.

Anyway, your brother got taken to the hospital because he was so atrociously hurt, and well... We just received news now that...

He didn't survive. I'm really sorry, I knew you two were really close. So yeah, your brother died, and now we're all mourning over him at home.

Worst thing was, and what really annoys me, was that the person that had crashed into him, somehow survived, but your brother didn't.

This is probably the longest text message that I've ever sent you, and I was half in tears when I typed this, but I really miss you and I hope you come back soon...

So yeah. One of your seven brothers died...

I'm really sorry, Esperanza.

Dr Kozak handed Esperanza's phone back to her, watching her cry at the thought of the whole thing.

"Oh my gosh, Esperanza, I am so so sorry," Dr Kozak told her, letting her come up and hug him.

"Why didn't you tell me before now?"

Esperanza was mad now completely.

"Weren't you listening Dr Kozak? I told you that she sent me this when we were all sleeping. Would you expect me to just walk up to your room, complaining about my brother's death to you? And then you'd get annoyed at me for waking you and your wife up."

Esperanza was annoyed. Dr Kozak didn't say anything, he didn't feel like it was indispensable.

Kieran in the meantime, was walking up to him and Esperanza's now newly shared and decorated room, and was just about to open the door but stopped once a) he realised it was locked and b) he could hear Dr Kozak and Esperanza talking.

He couldn't really resist eavesdropping so put his ear close to the wall and listened to everything that Dr Kozak and Esperanza were currently talking about, becoming more livid and hurt each time.

"Hey. Esperanza. May I ask you a question?" He said to her, Kieran currently hearing everything through the wall really conspicuously, for anyone walking past to see him.

Esperanza nodded. She had calmed down now even though she hadn't calmed down completely.

"Why are you so nice to everyone? What if someone's rude to you?"

Esperanza didn't reply for while, but then sighed, and said something else.

"Because I treat people the way I would like to be treated," she told him. "Although, nowadays people are just taking advantage of me, because they think that I'll say yes to everything and anything... Can I ask you a question as well, sir?"

Dr Kozak nodded, not saying anything, and looking away.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Esperanza asked him curiously, where he just full on stared at her.

Kieran in the meantime whispered something under his breath to himself. He couldn't think anything in case Dr Kozak could read his mind from the opposite side of the door.

"Hmm, I wonder what he's going to say to her? It's probably because she's nice to him though, Kozak can be nice to people that are nice to him."

Dr Kozak couldn't find a reply. He laughed, checked his phone for a bit but then he stopped.

"Because you're Esperanza. You're a very genuine person and anyone would be lucky to have you as a partner. I don't know you that well but that's what people have been telling me. They also told me that you tend to make everyone happy when their days are the opposite &you make everyone's day."

He stopped talking then continued again.

"And if anything is ever bothering you again, do not hesitate to come and find me. Honestly, from now on, I'll be with you every step of the way, no matter what happens. You're a very favourable person, yeah I have a list of my favourite people."

Esperanza smiled.

She felt a lot better now, and it was all thanks to Dr Kozak. Kieran was right, he would have been nice when he wanted to be.

"Thanks. And I hope I'll do the same thing to you one day. And I hope I'm on your list of favourite people."

"Trust me kid, you already are. You're one of the people at the top."

Esperanza couldn't help but to smile and smile even more at him.

"For flip sake, what's taking both of them so long? Hurry up alright, we're running late!" Kieran whispered to himself arrogantly.

He kept on whispering things to himself until Dr Kozak suddenly brought up his name, and what he had said about him made him want to angrily tear up on the inside.

The conversation between Dr Kozak and Esperanza went a little bit like this.

Dr Kozak: You know, kid, I have a secret that you cannot tell anyone.

Esperanza just looked at him.

Esperanza: Okay... What is it then, sir?

Dr Kozak: You're my favourite kid. Out of everyone here, I trust you the most.

Anastasia: What about Kieran?

Dr Kozak: Kieran's useless. Who needs him? He fake died for no reason, making everyone worried for nothing. Always complaining and moaning and messing things up.

Esperanza: Wow, that's a bit confrontational, but somewhat true.

"Those jerks!" Kieran muttered to himself, walking away. He genuinely didn't want to hear any more. "I can't believe them, talking about me behind my back, especially Dr Kozak, when he was the reason I nearly died in the first place. I hate both of them!"

He stormed off, leaving Dr Kozak and Esperanza to badmouth about Kieran behind his back even more, until Dr Kozak realised that they all had to leave.

"Okay, get up kid, we both gotta leave," he told her, returning the desk chair and heading for the door. "Oh and you actually need to come this time."

Esperanza got up for once, but didn't move.

"Wait, Dr Kozak!" She shouted. "Dr Kozak can you carry me?"

"You're seventeen years old tomorrow, you really don't need a guy over double your age carrying you."

Esperanza didn't say anything, and remembering about her brother's tragic death, Dr Kozak sighed as he carried her on his back.

"Yay! Thank you so much!"

"No problem," he muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Oh and Dr Kozak? When's your birthday?"

Dr Kozak didn't say anything for a while, except 'June 20th, why?' then remained quiet for the rest of the journey downstairs to his laboratory because he had so stupidly forgotten his teleporter, once again!

"Oh, just curious," Esperanza told him, patting his back. "Just get ready for the biggest birthday surprise of your life."

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Kieran and Agent Astera were talking about someone from a TV show they had both watched, until Dr Kozak and Esperanza appeared at the laboratory once again.

"Yeah, I know right? And then she was all-"

Agent Astera stopped what she was saying as she looked at both of them in disgust for being over half an hour late, Kieran doing exactly the same thing but for a dissimilar reason.

"And what do you think you're doing on my husband's back?" She retorted to Esperanza, pushing her off, making her land on the floor and bashing her head.

Dr Kozak just looked at her, then at Esperanza, who was lying on the floor looking lifeless, then at Agent Astera again.

"What? You just knocked off Esperanza from my back! Why would you do that!" He proclaimed, looking at Esperanza again who was hopefully still alive.

Yes! Keep shouting at her! Tell her you hate her! Kieran thought, where Dr Kozak just looked at him angrily, telling him to stay out of this.

"Oh yeah... I forgot you can read minds," he said accidentally on purpose, eyeing Dr Kozak and smiling.

This was mainly payback for all the things he had said to Esperanza when Kieran eavesdropped on their conversation via the wall.

Astera just looked at Kieran, then at Dr Kozak lividly.

"What? You never ever told me that you were a mind reader, Demetrius! We've been married for ten years straight now, and you never told me this."

Dr Kozak didn't reply, just gave Kieran a seriously long and hard pernicious look. He then laid his eyes on his so called wife again, even more ticked off than before.

"Maybe I didn't want you to find out."

"But Demetrius, why on earth would you keep this a secret away from me!" Astera snapped at him. "I thought we trusted each other! Clearly not."

Dr Kozak shouted back at her as well, still mainly shooting a really dirty look towards Kieran's direction.

"Well, I'm sorry but you kept a secret away from me too, Astera. Three, actually, making it worse because I only kept one away from you. You never told me that your eyes are laser beams, you're psychic and that you've got telekinesis, so shut your big mouth up!"

Astera was half crying now, like Esperanza was over her mother's text about her brother's car crash and sudden, unexpected death.

"How did you know that? I never told anyone!"

"I have my ways," Dr Kozak told her, removing the ring from his finger and throwing it at Agent Astera's face.

"You know what, Demetrius. I hate you. I thought husband and wife were meant to trust each other but clearly not! I can't believe we kept this a secret from each other the whole time. I'm divorcing you."

"I didn't really like you anyway, like you've not tried to secretly have an affair with other men behind my back!" He cackled at her face.

Astera gasped.

"I didn't know you got jealous so easily!"

But then Astera did the same thing as Dr Kozak did- removed her ring and threw it at his face.

Can y'all hurry up, man. I'm tired. Kieran thought to himself, checking his watch and yawning.

"You stay out of this, Kieran!" Dr Kozak howled at him, pushing him to the floor.

Agent Astera was about to leave, until Dr Kozak surprisingly held her back.

"You know, Astera... I wouldn't really leave if I were you," he told her, surreptitiously bringing out a black mysterious shiny object from his lab coat.

"But you just told me to, and you're not the boss of me, we're no longer married anymore."

"Okay, leave. Just don't say that I didn't warn you."

Astera just looked at him, and turned her back to him.

When she was looking, that was when Dr Kozak pointed his gun at her, Kieran realising this too late.

Because there and then...

...Before Kieran could stop him..

...Dr Kozak had pulled the gun trigger at his wife...

...And she came falling down, lying dead on the floor.

For Dr Kozak had just killed her.

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Moral of chapter: No matter your type of relationship with someone: (best) friend, husband/wife or girlfriend/boyfriend, never keep secrets away from each other. It decreases trust.