“So how is it being an Assassin?” Orion asked with a soft yet curious gaze.

Kaida sipped her wine before responding. “It's a job that demands lots of training, hard work and precision. The target should always be eliminated swiftly and that can be hard sometimes"She said, feeling everyone's gaze on her as if she was something they didn't know how to decipher.

“I see, that sounds like a demanding job"Orion mused quietly.

“Oh it definitely is,” Kaida said, taking another spoonful of risotto. It's been a while since she last had such delicious homemade food excluding Ace’s cooking of course. He was a great cook.

“You were born in Japan right? How is it there?”Alex asked with a soft smile.

Kaida tensed up, her mind drifting back to the day her parents died. “It's a beautiful country” She whispered quietly.

“Where are your parents?”Orion asked cautiously after a few seconds sensing her inner turmoil.

The fact that they were asking her meant Ace had not told them anything. To know Ace kept her traumatic past to himself instead of telling his family touched her in ways she didn't think it would. Ace was truly a good man.. His family was too.

“Uncle Orion, it's her first time here. Maybe it would be better to not ask her such questions please” Ace said, placing his hand on her thigh protectively under the table.

“It's fine, Ace,”Kaida whispered softly. They were just curious and probably wanted to know more about her. She's been the bodyguard of Ace for a fair amount of time now. It was only normal that they were questioning her.

“Are you sure Leonessa? You don't have to answer okay"Ace whispered, staring at her with a soft protective gaze.

“Yes, It's okay,” Kaida replied, placing her hand on top of his under the table.

She took a deep breath preparing herself. “My family was killed when I was 7” Kaida whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat at the memory of her father's limp body hitting the ground, his light blue eyes empty and devoid of life, her mother pleading for mercy. Her whole family dead.

“Oh dear, I'm so sorry for your loss.”Lucasia said, making her look up to see her eyes well up with tears.

“It's okay, please don't cry” Kaida said feeling bad that she made Lucasia cried.

“Losing your parents in such a way was cruel, it's not okay my child” Ace’s grandma said across the table.

Kaida remained quiet, gazing at everyone. Even Valentino’s gaze flickered with sadness and a hint of anger. There was not an ounce of fake sympathy or pity but genuine sorrow and understanding of her pain. Kaida looked down, unable to stare at them.

“Did you find out who killed them?”Valentino asked, his voice laced with anger.

“She didn't but Enzo is working on it, Dad” Ace replied before she could answer. Not that she trusted herself enough to utter a word at the moment.

“Alright, I'll look into it too,” Valentino said with conviction.

“We will too,” Ares and Alex said in unison.

Kaida’s heart skipped a beat and she looked up in surprise to find everyone staring at her with caring, protective gazes. “Why? Why would all of you do that for a stranger?”She asked, genuinely caught off guard by their kindness.

“Now don't say such words, young lady. It is clear that our beloved Ace holds you close to his heart and therefore we do as well” Ace’s grandma said, smiling warmly as everyone nodded in agreement.

“You are a member of the King family now,” Lucasia said, gripping her other hand across the table.

Kaida’s heart swelled with love and warmth. Years of sorrow and emptiness slowly being soothed by their loving and caring words. It's been so long since she last felt this loved and cared for. Even though Ricardo had comforted her and cared for her as a kid, while growing up in his mansion she had grown accustomed to Ricardo’s strict fatherly demeanor. Ace’s family was so loving and caring that it seemed completely foreign to her yet it felt soothing.

In that instant, Kaida knew there was no way she could ever kill Ace. She couldn't. Ace had woven himself into her soul and made himself at home into her heart. He had picked up the broken pieces of her soul and instead of breaking her even more. He had held each of her broken pieces in his hands even if it cut him and put her back together. He was her sanctuary, her true home, a place where she could lose herself in and find solace.

And his family had welcomed her with such love and warmth. She couldn't take their beloved Ace away from them and inflict such pain and sorrow on a family who didn't deserve it especially considering she knew how it felt to have your loved ones brutally taken from you. She couldn't do such a thing. She wouldn't, no matter how Ricardo might react. She wasn't going to kill Ace.