In just a short time, Alaric felt that the walls he had built around himself, to protect himself from the world, started to slowly collapse, along with the kisses and hugs from this woman, who was his mother's cousin. Tears slowly accumulated at both corners of his eyes.

After nearly 100 years of being alone ... he was finally given a chance to meet his mother's family.

He was no longer alone. This woman in front of him treated him as if he was her own child ...

Portia cried but she seemed very relieved and very happy. She never thought that one day she would meet Luna's child. They all thought the child had died with her.

"Gosh ... Luna's child ... is still alive ..." She laughed happily as she wiped her tears. Portia then turned to Ned and pulled her husband closer, "Ned ... this is Luna's son ... His name is Alaric ..."

Ned nodded. "Welcome, Alaric. We are glad you finally returned home ..."

"Wait a minute ... you probably really wish to know what your mother's face looked like ..." Portia said suddenly. She immediately pulled Alaric's hand to follow her. "I have photos and paintings of Luna in the library."

Alaric was stunned and his feet subconsciously followed Portia's into a huge library.

Portia still kept paintings and pictures of his mother! For the first time in his life, Alaric would be able to see the face of the woman who gave birth to him. The woman who died so he could live ...

"This ... this is Luna ..." Portia whispered into Alaric's ear in an enthusiastic voice, "This is your mother ..."

Alaric was stunned when he saw the painting Portia was pointing at hanging on the library wall. It was of a very beautiful young girl in an elegant Edwardian outfit. Her long, straight hair was purplish in color, and a pair of beautiful purple eyes stared directly at him.

For a moment Alaric realized that Luna's face was no stranger to him. Her face was very similar to his own face, which he had always hated in the past because it looked like a woman's.

It turned out that his face and his mother's face were uncannily similar.

Inwardly, Alaric suddenly felt guilty because for decades he had hated his face. That was because he did not know that he inherited his mother's face.

"I'm so sorry, Mother ..." he whispered as he looked at the pair of purple eyes that were staring back at him from the painting. She had the smile of a beautiful angel.

Alaric's eyes became foggy and his head went dizzy. He seemed to hear a very soft voice greeting him lovingly from the painting, "Welcome, my son... Welcome home ..."

***

Aleksis hurried out of the car and ran to the lobby to ask the receptionist to call the penthouse because she could not contact Lauriel. He asked Lauriel to meet her in the basement parking lot to help her carry Nicolae up. The young man had fainted because he had lost a lot of blood.

Five minutes later, that seemed like hours for Aleksis, Lauriel knocked on the car window with a very worried face. Aleksis was trembling in the back seat while holding Nicolae who was in shock.

"Uncle ... Uncle ... Please help me ... My friend is hurt ..." she whispered anxiously as she opened the car door.

Lauriel hurriedly checked Nicolae's condition and his face turned pale. He examined Aleksis and was relieved that his goddaughter was not injured.

"Are you alright? Can you walk?" he asked. Aleksis nodded, "Very well ... I will carry him to the penthouse. You come with me ..."

Aleksis obeyed Lauriel's words. She immediately got out of the car and waited for Lauriel to get Nicolae out. Her godfather was very strong and so he could carry the tall young man on his back. They quickly entered the elevator and headed to the 100th floor.

"Sshh ... don't worry ... Your friend lost a lot of blood, but he will be safe ..." Lauriel talked softly, seeing that Aleksis was still trembling in fear in the elevator. "Do not be afraid ..."

Aleksis nodded silently.

They entered the penthouse and Lauriel quickly laid Nicolae in the guest room and cleaned his wounds.

"Aleksis honey, you should take a shower and get changed. The doctor will arrive soon, and we don't want him to see blood on you ..."

Aleksis nodded slowly and went into her room to clean herself up. Lauriel called his trusted aide who immediately called a doctor to come to the penthouse. Nicolae needed a blood transfusion and an injection of morphine in order to survive the small operation required to remove the bullet in his shoulder.

Actually, if he hadn't tried to dodge the shot, the bullet would have hit his heart. This young man was very lucky because the shot missed a little.

Ten minutes later Aleksis returned to the guest room with her clothes changed. Her face looked more fresh and she was no longer pale. She had also managed to calm herself down. She was very relieved to have arrived at the penthouse safely, and she was grateful that Lauriel was around, because she believed that he could handle everything ...

"Are you feeling better?" Lauriel asked as he handed over a glass of wine mixed with a special concoction he made to calm Aleksis down a little. The girl accepted it and nodded slowly.

"When will the doctor come?" she asked him.

"Soon. You just wait here, I will get a change of clothes for him ..."

Lauriel went to his room and looked for a new shirt and pants for Nicolae, because his clothes were soaked in blood. Aleksis finished her wine, then sat by the bed and watched the handsome young man who was laying unconscious.

She felt sad thinking that Nicolae was injured today because he tried to save her ...

Still feeling anxious, she took a small towel and a basin of warm water from the bedside table and began to wash Nicolae's face and shoulders, which were soiled with blood. His clean face looked very pale because he lost so much blood.

"Doctor Lin has arrived," Lauriel said. He entered the guest room carrying a set of fresh clothes and behind him was a male doctor in his 50's. He walked in with a calm face. The doctor placed his bag on the floor then sat down next to Nicolae and examined his injuries.

"Hmm ... your little brother was hit quite badly .. It was a near-miss; the bullet could have hit his heart and kill him instantly ..." commented Doctor Lin. He looked at Lauriel, "Do you want to donate blood for your little brother?"

"Little brother ...?" Lauriel frowned. He turned to Nicolae who laid still in bed.

He finally took notice of the young man's face, which Aleksis had just cleaned. Instantly his chest pounded hard. The young man's face was very similar to his. At first glance, other people would not think that they looked that similar, unless they really paid attention. Like now.

The more he looked at Nicolae, the more he felt like seeing himself.

Aleksis looked at Nicolae and Lauriel alternatingly then frowned as well, "Uncle ... you ... you and Nicolae indeed look very similar ... No wonder this doctor thinks you are brothers ..."

Aleksis patted her own forehead because she had never noticed this resemblance. Since Nicolae and Lauriel were completely unfamiliar with each other, she never thought of connecting them. Come to think of it, Doctor Lin was not wrong, these two men could indeed be considered siblings when they were next to each other like now ...

"You ... aren't you two brothers? I'm sorry, for being presumptuous ..." said Doctor Lin in confusion, "Then, we must test his blood in order to have the right blood sent from the hospital immediately."

Lauriel stared at Nicolae's face for a long time and subconsciously said softly, "Doctor ... if you test his blood ... please also test my blood ... if they match ... let me be the donor."