Born Into Villain's Family: I Have a 200% Rebate System

After many long moments of quiet sobbing, Mary and Alex finally calmed down. Their tears slowed, and their breaths steadied.

Aurora stepped forward gently, holding a small box of tissues. Her eyes were red from crying too, but her expression was calm and warm.

She handed tissues to Mary and Alex without a word, only offering a small, understanding smile.

The Waters siblings watched them, their faces full of concern. Lucas, unable to bear seeing Aurora so emotional, quickly stepped forward.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a tissue from the box and gently wiped Aurora's tears from her cheeks.

"Why are you crying so much but giving tissues to others first?" Lucas asked, his voice half-scolding and half-teasing.

Aurora chuckled softly, her voice light but filled with warmth. "I knew you would be there to wipe away my tears," she said.

Just as she finished speaking, another hand reached up to wipe her tears again.

Aurora looked up, her eyes slightly surprised but full of affection.

There stood Alex, giving her a gentle smile. His eyes were still red from crying, but his smile was sincere.

"I'm here too," he said softly.

Lucas stared at Alex for a moment, but didn't say anything. Instead, he took a few more tissues and held them out toward Alex, as if offering support without words.

Alex looked down at the tissues, then back up at Lucas, his eyes filling up with tears once again.

Seeing this, Theodore stepped forward. Without a word, he wrapped his arm around Alex's shoulder, pulling him close. His voice was quiet, meant only for Alex to hear.

"You don't have to stop crying," Theodore whispered, his tone gentle. "You can cry all you want. Just wait until we are in a secluded corner."

Alex felt a small smile break through his sadness. He chuckled softly, a sound mixed with relief and gratitude.

This family, though not related by blood in the traditional way, had always been close to him. Each one of them had shown care in their own way, even when he lived far away from them.

He remembered how Lucas and Theodore, even though they rarely met him in person, always kept in touch.

Every two or three days, they would send messages asking if he was safe, if he needed anything.

They never forgot about him. They always made sure he wasn't alone.

Sometimes, they even sent small amounts of money or helped in secret ways, making sure his life was not too difficult.

It touched his heart deeply.

Before, he had thought he was completely alone. He thought that everyone hated him because of his past, because of the way he was born.

But now, standing there with Theodore holding him, he realized he was wrong.

He had a family.

A mother who loved him since the very beginning, even if she had been scared to show it.

Half-siblings who never once abandoned him.

And a special little sister who always made sure his problems were solved.

His eyes unconsciously turned to where Aurora stood, her tears being gently wiped away by Lucas.

He couldn't help but chuckle again, a soft and sincere sound.

Aurora had given him the best birthday gift he could ever wish for: acceptance, love, and a family that cared.

Feeling warmth in his heart, Alex slowly stepped away from the small group and walked toward a quiet corner of the banquet hall.

Theodore followed him, never letting go of his arm.

When they reached the secluded corner, Theodore stopped walking.

He looked at Alex with a small smile and said softly, "You can cry now."

Alex didn't hesitate.

He hugged Theodore tightly, letting all the tears fall freely.

Theodore patted Alex's back in a steady rhythm, never speaking, just offering silent support.

Even though Theodore was a bit smaller than Alex, for the first time, Alex felt like he had a real brother by his side.

He vowed quietly in his heart that he would do everything he could to protect the Waters family.

If ever a bad situation came, if trouble came their way, he would stand by them.

He didn't want them to feel the loneliness he once knew.

They were his family now.

As he continued to cry, Theodore's presence remained steady and strong.

The noise of the banquet seemed distant now.

Only the quiet comfort of a sibling's hug mattered.

Mary, Aurora, Lucas, Olivia, Adriana, and Adam all stood silently nearby, watching the moment with tears in their eyes.

Each of them knew that something precious had changed.

After the little crying session was over, Aurora clapped her hands gently and said with a bright smile,

"Since everyone has returned, we can now start with the surprise segment."

The words "surprise segment" caught everyone's attention immediately.

All eyes turned toward Aurora, curious to know what she had planned. The room filled with quiet anticipation.

Aurora chuckled softly and motioned everyone to sit down on the chairs arranged in a semi-circle. Her smile was calm but held a touch of playful excitement.

Once everyone was seated, Aurora began speaking in a clear and cheerful tone.

"In this surprise segment, we are going to play a fun game together," she announced. "All of you will have to pair up with someone."

A few of the family members exchanged glances, wondering what kind of game this would be.

Without wasting time, Theodore raised his hand eagerly. "I will partner with Olivia," he said with a grin.

Olivia playfully slapped his arm. "That's because you made the best choice," she teased with a smile.

Lucas was about to pair up with Aurora, but Adriana interrupted. "I will pair up with Lucas," she said confidently, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Mary understood the intention behind the pairing immediately. She looked at Adam and smiled softly. "I will pair up with Adam," she said calmly.

Then Alex's eyes met Aurora's. A gentle smile spread across his face. "Then I will pair up with Aurora," he said softly, his voice full of warmth.

Aurora nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Good choice," she replied.

Once everyone had formed their pairs, Aurora stood up and explained the game in a cheerful tone. "The game is simple," she said.

"Each pair will be blindfolded, and they will take turns throwing darts at a dartboard. The goal is to hit the bullseye or get as close as possible. The team that scores the highest points will win."

Aurora paused for a moment, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a shiny car key.

She held it up in the air, letting it catch the light. "The winning team will receive this BMW car key," she announced proudly.

For a moment, the entire Waters family fell silent, their eyes widening in surprise.

Even Alex looked stunned. He pointed at the car key and asked, "How did you get so much money to buy a BMW car? And that too, the latest model?"

Aurora chuckled lightly, not showing any sign of embarrassment. "It's very simple," she replied casually. "I earned the money from hacking."

The moment Aurora said the word "hacking," everyone's attention was fully drawn to her. The room seemed to fill with curiosity and surprise. Some looked a bit shocked, while others were clearly intrigued.

Before anyone could ask more questions, Aurora raised her hand slightly and said calmly, "Let's save all the questions for later. For now, let's begin the game."

The family nodded in agreement, deciding to put their queries on hold and enjoy the game.

The first pair to play was Mary and Adam. They put on their blindfolds, trying their best to aim the dart.

Adam went first, throwing the dart gently. It missed the board by a little. Then Mary took her turn. Her dart veered far to the side, landing nowhere near the bullseye.

The others couldn't help but chuckle softly at their poor performance, but they clapped politely, appreciating the effort.

Next, Lucas and Adriana stepped up. Lucas aimed carefully, but his dart ended up far from the center.

Adriana's attempt was slightly better but still not close to the bullseye.

They ended up as the second-worst performers, and the family shared light-hearted laughs about it.

Olivia and Theodore were the third pair. Olivia aimed carefully, and her dart landed near the bullseye, just a few inches away.

Theodore, although a bit nervous, managed to hit a decent spot, earning the pair a fair number of points.

Finally, it was Alex and Aurora's turn.

Aurora looked at Alex and smiled softly, offering him a quiet encouragement. "You can do it," she whispered.

Alex nodded gently, taking a deep breath. He stepped forward first, his hands trembling slightly as he held the dart.

Despite his nervousness, he threw the dart steadily. It landed at a perfect spot, scoring 20 points.

Aurora smiled, feeling proud of Alex's performance.

Then it was Aurora's turn.

She closed her eyes as she felt the weight of the moment. She had not practiced for this game at all, but somehow, her hand moved with confidence.

She released the dart, and to everyone's surprise, it landed directly in the bullseye.