Saving the Villain

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

Conrad and Maxen stared at each other while Remo and Luke darted their eyes between them. The two raised their brows before looking at each other, and then back to Conrad and Maxen.

"Yes." Maxen lowered his eyes as he let out a deep exhale. "I just couldn't stop myself."

"Mhm…" Conrad rocked his head in understanding. "Your reasons might be valid to look for trouble yourself."

He then shifted his eyes to Luke, making the latter flinch slightly. "Your father will throw a huge fit if he sees those bruises on his son's beautiful face."

"Heh…" Luke let out an awkward smile, shrinking back slightly to hide.

"Don't worry. I won't tell your father about this," said Conrad, sensing Luke's discomfort. "Your father had been bragging about how his son chose a noble decision to figure out his life on his own. I think what you did is courageous and commendable. Your father will just ruin you."

"I know, right?" Luke scratched the back of his head while Remo shot him an incredulous look.

Didn't Luke notice, or was he just shy to point it out? Conrad just blatantly ridiculed Luke's father right in front of him, but Luke's response was… just that? If someone spewed bull about Remo's grandfather, he would fight them to death, whoever they were. But perhaps Luke and his father had truly become estranged, Remo thought.

If only Remo had the slightest idea that Conrad wasn't insulting Conrad. The latter was just describing him and speaking facts.

"You are…?"

Remo snapped his eyes back to Conrad when he felt the latter's gaze on him. "Remo."

"Remo?"

"Yes. My name is Remo."

"Nice to meet you, Remo." Remo's brows rose at Conrad's polite and humble yet respectable way of speaking. "I hope Cozie and Maxen aren't troubling you too much."

"Uh…" Remo cleared his throat and shook his head. "They're not. If anything, I am troubling them."

"Believe me. You're troubling no one." Conrad chuckled calmly, glancing over his shoulder to check something. "Because if you are, you won't be here with them."

"Huh?" Remo's brows rose, but Conrad simply offered a kind smile.

If Maynard was here to witness how considerate Conrad was towards these kids, he would slander him nonstop. After all, everyone in their circle knew how savage and uncaring Conrad could be to the rest of the world except to his daughter.

"Maxen." Conrad set his eyes back to Maxen and waited until Maxen raised his eyes up to him. "Should I step in?"

Maxen held Conrad's gaze for a moment before he nodded. "No. I can handle it."

"If that is what you claim." Conrad shrug. "Just tell me if you need me to step in. It's okay to make mistakes or ask for someone's help. You're human, not a god. Remember that."

"Don't worry. We can settle this on our own."

"I believe you."

After those last remarks rolled out of Conrad's tongue, the head butler approached Conrad. Butler George bent over, whispering to Conrad.

"Alright." Conrad rubbed his palms against the armchair. While doing so, some servants from the infirmary came in, carrying first aid kits to clean whatever wounds the boys had inflicted.

"Max, it's already late. Tell your friends they should just stay over for the night. Get your wounds treated first until the family doctor arrives," Conrad instructed, casting the boys' equal attention. "And then join us for dinner. George already prepared their rooms."

Maxen also stood up as if he hadn't inflicted heavy injuries. "I'll tell them."

"Good." Conrad smiled at Maxen, and they gazed at Luke and then at Remo. "I'll see you around."

With that being said, Conrad made his exit while the two servants placed the first aid on the coffee table. Remo, Maxen, and Luke watched Conrad's retreating figure in silence, having different thoughts in mind. Luke had met Cosette's father, and this wasn't his first time hanging out in the Blac mansion, but until now, he still finds himself speechless with Conrad's demure.

Meanwhile, Remo hadn't still figured out what sort of first impression he had for Conrad. Maxen, on the other hand, only thought that Conrad never changed. Conrad still trust Maxen so much, even though what he had done today spoke there was still some childish reaction from him.

'It's okay to make mistakes and ask for others' help,' thought Maxen, repeating Conrad's words in his head. '... how I wished I need his help, but this is too simple.'

Maxen slowly sat down and turned his head to his right, where Luke was sitting. He then glanced at Remo.

"We'll stay here tonight," he said, only for Luke to complain.

"Shouldn't that be a question?" Luke scrunched his nose up in dismay.

"Before we left, they had reinforcement. I'm sure if they see even our shadows in the street, they will beat the hell out of us," Remo chimed in. "But I'm fine renting a hostel for the night. I don't need to stay here."

"Me too." Luke nodded, a little ashamed to be around Conrad. It was okay if it was just the three of them. Even if Cosette was always with them, her bubbly personality didn't really make anyone uncomfortable. But it was different if a parent was around. It wasn't like they plan on doing something horrible, but this feeling was a natural reaction.

"My old man will insist," said Maxen. "He can be very frustrating if he starts nagging."

"Your old man…?" Remo's brows rose while Luke frowned.

'Are they really going to get married?' Luke wondered, thinking that Cosette and Maxen's setup was like marriage as well. They were already living under the same roof, and Maxen also called her dad, his dad.

"Also, every night, the head security released the big dogs within the mansion. They gnaw people they are not familiar with as long as they were within the premises," Maxen added, and he wasn't even lying.

This was how Conrad trap people inside this mansion. After all, Conrad was always concerned about children's safety. It was late already and since the brawl, the three started themselves was still hot, it was better if they all stay in here. There were too many spare rooms in the residence, so there wouldn't be a problem.

Luke and Remo looked at Maxen incredulously.

"You could've just said you stay or just die," Luke spat out in dismay and Remo backed it up with, "this is indirectly kidnapping."

"At least I held you both captive in a good place."

"..." Luke and Remo opened and closed their mouths to rebut him, but ended up shaking their heads instead. Right after, the nurses working within the mansion started treating their wounds to avoid infection until the Blac's family doctor came to check on the boys.

****** BREAK ******

"It's so annoying." Cosette frowned deeper as she combed her hair in irritation. "That Remo and Maxen. Do they have any idea how hard it is for me to keep them away from violence? Gosh. Luke isn't helping as well. So annoying."

She slammed the brush on the vanity table, glaring at herself. Nanny Lucia went out for a bit and told her she would come back once dinner was served.

"I'm so annoyed I don't even feel hungry at all." Cosette pushed herself up, marching back to her bed to laze on it. Whenever she was lying down, it usually helped her calm down. She hoped it would also help this time.

But just as Cosette sat on the edge of the bed, the vibration of her phone on the nightstand caught her attention. Cosette furrowed her brows and reached for it to check who was messaging her. There were only a few people who often slide into her inbox.

The first on her list was Luke, and those were mostly messages whenever Luke was burrowing something. If not him, it would be the girls. Maxen and Cosette rarely exchanged text messages because they were always together.

"Now that I think about it, I should tell Max we should do some phone sex for experience…" she trailed off the moment she saw the sender. Her expression turned cold as the mischievous idea that suddenly crossed her head disappeared into thin air.

Asher.

His message was, "I will call."

"Hah…" Cosette let out a scoff, staring at those three letters. "... wow. I can hear him say this — bastard!"

Cosette scrunched her nose up when Asher's name appeared on the screen just as she bad-mouthed him. After her last moments with him, Cosette was not ready to talk or even face this guy. It was a good thing Asher left that early in the morning, and they didn't have to bear the shame the night before.

"He really has the worst timing," mumbled Cosette, putting her phone in silence before tossing it on the bed where she threw herself on.

****** BREAK ******

[ The number you had dialed… ]

Asher let out a shallow breath as he peeled the phone from his ear. He expected that she wouldn't answer with that message he sent he typed whilst in the middle of something.

"Young Master Quinn, did you reach Cosette?" Asher slowly looked at the person across from him, smiling amicably like usual. "It seems you didn't."

"She's probably busy at the moment," said Asher with a friendly smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Or just in a terrible mood. I don't think you should see her, Ezekiel Stone. She breathes fire whenever she's upset."