CHAPTER 2

" Touché, Kyría. " - Yuri Daniel, inclined his head. His tone remained respectful but even, his face expressionless.

Kristina refuse to feel defeated. The man she had chosen might appear too young for the daunting task she had for him, but she knew with all her heart that he was the only one she could trust. She would bet all her remaining days on earth on it.

" What's stopping you from saying yes? " - Kristina, demanded.

A moment of hesitation before the man answered slowly.

" I may be too cold for her, Is that the only thing you're worried about? " - Yuri Daniel

Kristina's laughter didn't reach her eyes.

" Let me make it clear to you then. I chose you precisely because of that. That coldness you speak of is nothing but a shield. I know because I use the same thing, too, to protect what I value the most. For me that is my granddaughter. For you that is your half sister. " - Kristina

The man stiffened.

" Yes... " - Kristina, acknowledge shamelessly.

" I know about her. I know you've sacrificed your relationship with your father for her, and it's that kind of selflessness.. No, that coldness.. I want from you. " Kristina voice turned hard.

" Let us stop playing games. We both know you have no one left. No one but me. There is no one else in this world who has the wealth, power and motivation necessary to go against your father. I am your only chance, Yuri Daniel Athanas. So I suggest you be as cold-blooded as you say you are and say yes. " - Kristina

Ten minutes later, and Kristina was leading the young Greek Scion out of her office and downstairs, where Kathy was. Yuri was bemused when he realized where they were heading.

" She's in the kitchen? " - Yuri, with the exception of his own half sister, most heiresses of his acquaintance weren't even aware where their kitchen was.

" It's her favorite place in the house. " - Kristina, answered briefly.

Opening the door for Kristina, Yuri followed the older woman inside. He stopped when he saw the sole occupant in the kitchen, his gaze immediately arrested by the 14 year old girl behind the island, her head bent as she expertly minced spring onion on the chopping board. Sunlight filtering through the expansive windows at her back gave the girl a golden halo. Her hair, cascading down in a silky brown waterfall, hid most of her face, but what little he saw told Yuri that the girl was exquisitely beautiful and would be even more so when she matured.

Even so, Yuri did not feel a thing. When the Rewis matriarch nodded at him, he walked towards the girl. They had agreed that he would speak to his granddaughter first and he would make his decision from there. Kathryn Ice Rewis didn't look up when Yuri's shadow fell over her chopping board. Her fingers paused, however, the knife coming to a stop mid-air. A second passed, and Yuri sensed she was waiting for him to speak. When he didn't, another second passed before her slender, elegant fingers started moving again.

" Hello. " - Yuri, finally speak.

The girl stilled, and she was so perfectly motionless that with her ivory skin, one could be forgiven for thinking she was a marble statue. Slowly, she raised her head, and violet eyes met brilliant blue. Yuri thought, now he knew why her first and only day in the girl's academy Kristina enrolled her in had been disastrous. Those gypsy looking eyes were innocent and all knowing like a child's hiding nothing but seeing everything. Most people would feel condemned just looking at those eyes, Yuri knew. He was about to speak again when he saw her lips part, and Yuri stilled.

" Hello. " - Kathy voice was light and grave, beautiful and cold. But her violet eyes had a hint of wariness, and when Kristina came to join them.

Yuri realized that the girl had already been briefed about him. What she thought of it, however, was impossible to tell. Her eyes were too much like his in that sense. Perfectly glassy, reflecting everything except her own thoughts.

" Darling. " Kristina said softly. She waited for her granddaughter's gaze to meet hers before continuing.

" This is the man I was telling you about, his name is Yuri Daniel. Call him Yuri. And he'll take care of you he loves you, like I do. " - Kristina, added.

Kathy's brows furrowed.

" You're not lying? " - Kathy

" I love you. Don't I? Will I lie to you? " - Kristina, swallowed.

The violet eyes turned towards Yuri. In her gaze, he saw both his prison and his future.

" Will you love me? " - Kathy

And for this girl, Yuri realized bleaky, it was that simple. Dishonesty had been beaten out of her system and Kristina's overprotective love hadn't given her any chance to discover the life would never be that black and white. Meeting her gaze.

" Yes. " - Yuri, heared himself, lie.

After, Kristina and Yuri were both quiet as they went through the majestic front doors of the Rewis Mansion. When the valet brought his car to the driveway. Kristina broke the silence.

" I will not go back on my word. " - Kristina

" I never thought you would. " - Yuri, murmured.

The older woman hesitated, and it struck him at the moment how frighteningly frail she appeared. In her frequent photos on the society pages, the matriarch always had an untouchable aura about her, but there was none of her usual glamour now.

" Are you alright? " - Yuri

" Of course. " - Kristina voice was bland as she knowingly added to her sins. 'Forgive me, Yuri Daniel Athanas.'

Kristina had deliberately witheld the truth of her medical condition from the younger man, fearing his refusal if he realized that he might have only months left before fate demanded him to tie himself irrevocably to a stranger. After accepting the keys from the valet, Yuri faced Kristina again.

" Is there anything else you would like to discuss? " - Yuri

' A lot. ' Kristina thought painfully. ' Do you think you'll ever fall for someone like my granddaughter? Can you promise never to make her cry? Do you realized how terrified I am, knowing that I have no choice but to trust you? '

But in the end she knew she could not say any of those. Instead, she had to content herself with a promise.

" I will do everything in my power to help you save your sister, but you must promise me that you will do the same for my granddaughter. Save her when the time comes that I am no longer by her side. " - Kristina