Saving the Villain

Since it was getting late, Cosette called a cab to take Olivia to the hospital. Fortunately, Olivia went with the flow, since she would take anything just to stay away from this school for a moment. It was also better for her because going home in such a mental state and staying alone all night could trigger her again.

Cosette promised to visit her the next day. Since they only found her accidentally, Cosette had to tell Conrad about it first. She had to hear her father's thoughts about it too, and get professional advice from the expert who knew the law and knew how to twist it.

After sending Olivia off with a cab, Driver George also picked her up at school. However, Maxen, Luke, and Remo didn't tell her where they went. She only knew they had returned and left again because of the food they left near the entrance of the classroom, but that was all.

Cosette waited for them in the school for about an hour, but to no avail. Therefore, Cosette told the driver they should search for them instead. Her gut feeling told her they were ambushed or some sort… and her gut feeling didn't fail her like usual.

In one of the public playgrounds, Cosette caught a brawl between multiple guys. The Maxen radar in her head instantly tingled, and because of the situation, Cosette was able to catch Maxen, Remo, and Luke. The fight looked one-sided. Despite that their opponents were large in number, the three were able to fight them all as if mad beasts were ready to sever their enemies' limbs and sunder their form.

If not for Cosette interfering and dragging the three of them inside the car, something worse could probably happen. Why? Because before they left the bloody scene, Cosette noticed some delinquents bringing metals, bats, and things like that approaching as reinforcement.

That explained Maxen, Luke, and Remo's current situation.

Sitting in the lobby of the Blac Mansion, Cosette paced back and forth to calm her raging heart. Meanwhile, Maxen just sat quietly on the couch. Beside Maxen was Luke, who was the most relaxed of them, leaning against the armrest with his arm over it. Across from them was Remo, looking around discreetly, still stunned at how big this girl's house was.

Remo heard Luke and Cosette came from a well-off family, but until now, Remo thought by well off, they meant just slightly above the middle-class family. He underestimated the word well off, but who could blame him? For him, people who were considered elites among elites were too far from his reach. So thinking Cosette was just dilly dallying around them was an utter surprise.

"Gosh… I can't believe you three." Cosette snapped at them aggressively, making Luke flinch after the total silence. "I would understand if they ambushed you, but you went there yourselves looking for a fight?!"

Cosette huffed. "Hah! Gosh, I'm so angry. If I didn't come, do you think you can get away there with just a few scratches?! What do you think you three are doing?"

"Even if they call an entire town, I will smash them to smithereens —" Luke was cut off when she glared daggers at him. He frowned, rolling his eyes. "Fine. We're not thinking and letting out emotions control us, alright? What else do you want us to say? Don't tell me you want us to apologize to them?"

"You —" Cosette was about to beat Luke to teach him a lesson, but Maxen spoke.

"I don't regret it," said Maxen, lifting his eyes to her ever so slowly. "I don't regret looking for a fight and throwing these fists."

"Me too." Remo backed up solemnly. "I won't say sorry for anyone. I don't even care if it's right or wrong or whatever. I don't care and I'm not sorry about it."

Cosette's jaw tightened as she darted her eyes between Maxen and Remo. Was this it? She thought. Was her hard work not as effective as she thought they were? Because right now, Maxen and Remo almost sounded like how they sounded in their past life.

Just as her lips parted, her voice rolled back to her throat when she heard the head butler welcome Conrad.

"What's going on here?" Conrad's voice immediately caressed her ears from behind. "Cosette. Maxen."

Conrad walked towards them whilst undoing his cufflinks. His sharp eyes glossed over the set of chairs where there were more boys sitting. Conrad recognized Luke as the latter greeted him with a slight neck bow, but that other guy, whose body built was bigger than an average high schooler was someone Conrad hadn't seen before.

"Cosette, are you perhaps collecting boys?" he asked while Cosette turned around to face him. "Will you take these boys home now?"

"Max —" Cosette bit her tongue before she could even explain her side.

"Max, what?"

'Maxen was the only one for me,' was what she wanted to say, but Cosette figured this situation would only turn on her if she did. Cosette shook her head mildly and cleared her throat.

"Papa," called Cosette solemnly. "These three just took part in a fistfight!"

Conrad arched a brow and scanned the three boys again. "Yes. I can see that," said Conrad, as there was still dirt on their uniforms and even obvious bruises on their faces.

"Papa, what's with that reaction?" Cosette gasped in dismay. "Max fought with his fist! Look at him! Someone dared bruise his beautiful face — I mean, fighting is bad! It's bad! Luke too! Just look at them! They look so tired and beaten!"

"That's right." Conrad nodded in agreement.

"I mean, I can understand if they just had no choice but to defend themselves, but they were the ones who started it!" Cosette added, showing the real nature of her anger. "Papa, can you give them a piece of advice? I'm at my wit's end here, and they don't even feel any type of remorse." — to her. It wasn't like she wanted them to apologize to those delinquents; they deserved it.

However, how could they leave her all alone to look for fights? They didn't even plan it properly and just rashly walked to hell on their own two feet. Did they think they could get away if another student died because of such a brawl?

Conrad let out a deep exhale as he nodded in understanding.

"Lucia." Conrad raised his voice to get Lucia's attention, who was just around the corner, worrying about Cosette and Maxen, along with the other servants.

"Yes, Master?" Lucia, Cosette's nanny, hurriedly came into the picture.

"Take Cosette to her room first — I mean, have you had dinner, Cozie?" Conrad looked back at Cosette, only to see her frowning. "Wash up first and calm down. I'll talk to Maxen and to your friends, and then we will have dinner together."

Cosette didn't move an inch from her spot. So when Conrad glanced at Lucia, the latter nodded and approached Cosette's side.

"Young Miss," Lucia called softly, holding Cosette's arm with care. "Let's wash you up first."

"Fine…" Cosette breathed out, casting the three another look. "You better get yourself together because if you still hadn't realized where you were wrong, you'll get a piece of me."

After spewing her threats, Cosette followed Lucia to wash up before having dinner. She also thought she needed a nice bath and silence to calm down. Those boys were just a headache.

Meanwhile, as Cosette was walking away with her nanny, Luke mumbled to himself.

"Get a piece of her? Is that supposed to be scary?" he wondered before he heard Conrad clear his throat. Luke peeked at Conrad, and the latter was unbuttoning his suit before flinging it back as he sat down. Luke expected many things from Conrad.

If this was Maynard, his father's first question would be, "did you win?" But this was Conrad Blac, the man his father was so fond of that even Conrad's insults were fine.

But the air Conrad exuded felt somehow intimidating, even though the man wasn't even trying. Not just Luke, but Remo as well.

Remo had met bad guys — real bad ones. Some of them intimidated him a bit, but mostly, they simply annoyed him. The only person who actually scared Remo was Maxen's father, and he only had a glimpse of him. But Cosette's father… terrified him as well.

Conrad hadn't done anything yet aside from sitting down with them, but Luke and Remo always waited for his scolding with bated breaths. Much to their dismay, silence reigned over them. Conrad didn't speak a word, and his plain expression didn't change. He just looked at them silently, as if he had nothing to say.

"My daughter wants me to scold you, but I believe I am in no position to do that. I am neither your father and I had done nothing to contribute even a tiny bit to your life." Conrad broke his silence after another two minutes of nothing but silence. "But a word of advice, don't come looking for trouble. If you need to teach someone a lesson, create a way for them to come look for you. In that case, you have a reason to hurt them. Right, Maxen?"

Maxen lowered his eyes. "I made her upset. I'm sorry."

"You're still learning, but I hope this will serve as a lesson to you."