Knock knock — someone was at the door.
After getting pissed off at Matteo, I stormed back to my room and refused to come out for the rest of the day. It was already late afternoon now, and it sounded like the rest of my brothers had returned from work.
I dragged my feet to the door and opened it, hoping it wasn't someone I didn't want to see. Of course, it was.
Standing there was Mary, the middle-aged housekeeper. She gave me a polite bow before speaking gently. "Miss Mia, I'm sorry to disturb you. The first young master has requested your presence at tonight's family dinner. The other young masters will be attending as well."
Family dinner? With all the brothers? Mikael? Even Matteo?!
"Can you tell my eldest brother I'm not feeling well?" I said, clutching my butt dramatically. "Ouch, I still haven't recovered from that fall earlier."
Having dinner with those lunatics? That's the last thing I want right now.
But Mary's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry, Miss, but the first young master has already given his order. I really advise you not to refuse. In this house, when he gives a command… no one dares to disobey."
Ugh. So that's that. Don't be too serious, aunty.
"Alright, Aunty Mary. Thank you," I replied, forcing a smile while crying inside. There really was no escape this time.
After she left, I turned to the closet—or rather, Mia's closet—hoping to find something decent to wear. I searched and searched… only to realize I was doomed. Everything in there screamed for attention. Glitter, plunging necklines, tight fits—it was like a collection of club outfits.
Seriously?! What am I supposed to wear to a family dinner—stage clothes from a girl group?
Just as a headache started to creep in, my eyes landed on a small knob at the bottom of the closet. It was tucked away in a corner—easy to miss if you weren't looking closely. Curiosity got the better of me, so I crouched down and opened it.
To my surprise, there was a hidden compartment inside, filled with a collection of old clothes. They looked like they might have belonged to the original Mia. I began going through them one by one. The styles and colors were completely different—fresh, youthful, and stylish, like something a high school girl would wear.
Pastel shades, soft fabrics, and sweet, simple designs…it was the complete opposite of the flashy, over-the-top outfits in the main closet. These clothes were beautiful—and a total lifesaver.
Thank goodness I found them just in time.
I picked one dress that felt just right for tonight's dinner—simple, elegant, and perfectly modest. As I slipped it on, I couldn't help but think: If I want to fix my image in this house, the first step is dressing properly.
***
Ting— the elevator chimed as it reached the ground floor. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and stepped out, heading toward the dining room.
The moment I walked in, four pairs of eyes turned to me at once—like I was a circus act on display. Four piercing blue gazes, each with a different reaction. Martin looked deep in thought, Mikael wore an expression like he was ready to devour me, Mike looked like he might burst into tears any second, and Matteo—oh, that lunatic—he started laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA!! My dear sister, what are you wearing?!" Matteo burst out, practically choking on his laughter.
What the—?! I'm wearing clothes. Proper clothes. It's not like I walked in wearing a clown suit or pajamas!
Feeling annoyed, I shot back, "What's wrong with my dress? Is there a problem with the way I look?"
I was genuinely confused. I had chosen a soft pink, button-up maxi dress with long sleeves. It was simple, modest, even elegant. What was so funny?
Matteo wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Nothing's wrong, technically. It's just... the last time I saw you wear something like that was five years ago. I thought you'd thrown out all your sweet, girly clothes and committed to wearing nothing but those flashy club dresses—like a heartbroken disco ball."
What the hell?!
"How would I know any of that?" I snapped, irritated. "You've heard about my memory loss, haven't you? So don't blame me for not remembering my wardrobe history."
"Memory loss?" Mikael scoffed. "Isn't that just a lame excuse you cooked up to cover your mistakes?"
"Mikael, not now," Martin interjected, his voice calm but firm. "Mia, come and eat. I heard you skipped lunch—you must be starving."
"Fine," I muttered, clearly not in the mood but taking the seat next to Mike anyway.
Matteo kept grinning like he'd just watched the best comedy show, while Mikael's disapproving glare stayed glued to me. Only Mike gave me a reassuring look—one that said, Hang in there, and also maybe, Please don't start a fight.
Oh, how I wanted to punch someone. But I held back, clenching my jaw and focusing on my food instead.
Just wait, Matteo. I might not win a fight with Mikael… but you? I could knock you out in one punch with no regrets!
***
In the spacious living room, a large sectional leather sofa stretched out comfortably—easily enough for ten to twelve people. But right now, only five of us were sitting there: four serious-looking men and me, the only girl in the room, feeling like I was about to be fed to the wolves.
"Mia, now that we're all here, can you tell us the truth—this memory loss… is it real?" the eldest brother asked, his voice steady but sharp.
He looked so serious, I nearly peed myself.
ARGHHH—WHAT IS THIS?! I thought tonight was just a normal family dinner. I didn't expect that after dessert and tea, we'd move from the dining table to this leather interrogation couch! I should've run straight to my room, but now it was too late.
"Brother, of course it's true! Why would I lie to you?" I answered, trying my best to sound firm. "You can ask Dr. Leon yourself. He's the one who arranged everything."
Technically, I wasn't lying. I really don't remember. At least, not her memories. I wasn't the original Mia. I just… replaced her. So from my perspective, this was all new. It's not wrong to say I lost my memory, right?
Eldest brother nodded slowly, then hit me with the next bomb.
"Alright. If what you said is true, then answer this: the night of the accident—do you remember putting an aphrodisiac in Lucas's drink to try and trap him into bed?"
His voice was low and steady, but the weight behind the question was enough to crush me.
My throat dried up. I wanted to scream. What kind of question is that?!
"O-of course I don't remember!" I said, almost too quickly. "I've already forgotten about Lucas and whoever else. I didn't even know I had a fiancé until he showed up at the hospital!"
"Okay. Calm down, Mia. I'm not accusing you. Just asking."
Yeah right. You say you're not accusing, but everyone's eyes are burning holes through me.
Then came the final blow.
"Last question," he said. "One I believe Mikael has already brought up. Tell us honestly—did you take drugs? If you did, tell us how you got them. Who gave them to you?"
I felt my chest tighten. My hands were trembling on my lap. I was about to cry—not just from the pressure, but from the weight of four pairs of piercing blue eyes staring into my soul like they could pull the truth straight from my bones.
Calm down, Mia. I told myself. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
Then I stood up and looked at them all.
"I don't remember." My voice came out low but steady. "Believe me or don't. It's up to you. I'm tired."
I bowed my head slightly and added, "Good night, brothers." Then I turned and walked away, leaving them behind on that big, cold sofa.
Let them deal with their own doubts.
"Looks like we have no choice but to move on to the final option," Matteo said quietly, long after Mia's shadow disappeared into the elevator.
"Leon's plan—the one you mentioned before?" Mikael asked, his brows furrowed in thought.
Matteo nodded, a dangerous glint flashing in his electric-blue eyes. "Yes. The plan to find out whether she's telling the truth... or if this whole 'memory loss' thing is just a clever trick to cover up what really happened that night."
His tone was calm, but his voice was cold—sharp like the edge of a blade. He looked like a wolf in winter, focused and ruthless, ready to tear apart anything in his way.
Among them, only one brother looked truly concerned. A drop of cold sweat nearly slipped down Mike's temple as unease gripped him.
He knew his brothers—and he knew Leon. Once they set their sights on the truth, they would chase it to the ends of the earth. They wouldn't stop. And Mia, whether guilty or innocent, was already on their blacklist…a long time ago, long before this night began.