Saving the Villain

"I didn't want to do this, but I need you to go. Be grateful I don't have a gun to silence you. After all, dead men tell no tale."

As the last syllable rolled out of Cosette's tongue, she screamed her lungs out, asking for help. Her screams were so loud that they reached the people inside the mansion, while Ezekiel simply stood frozen. His grip on his wrists loosened, but Cosette grabbed his hand and pulled him down.

Thud!

Cosette winced in pain, but she continued screaming, "get off of me! Let me go! Help!"

When Conrad, Maxen, Marcel, Gretchen, the old folks and adults from the Stone family, and the servants reached the garden, all they saw was Ezekiel on top of Cosette. Cosette was screaming her lungs out, asking for help, struggling underneath Ezekiel.

"Cosette!" Conrad's eyes instantly blazed as he stormed toward his daughter. Without thinking twice, Conrad grabbed Ezekiel's back collar, pulling him up and shoving him away from his daughter. The moment Conrad saw the fear dominating his daughter's face, a fury that Conrad never felt in his life surged in his heart.

"Papa!" Cosette jumped up, wrapping her trembling arms around her father's neck.

Conrad's heart thudded against his chest, feeling her body vibrate against his body. For a moment, Conrad could only place his hand on her back, trying to calm her down. A minute later, the rest already reached them, with Maxen assisting Marcel as he was with a cane.

"What's going on here?" Marcel's voice erupted angrily, seeing how traumatized Cosette looked. Meanwhile, Maxen held his breath before shifting his fiery eyes to Ezekiel.

"You…" Maxen's voice shook, completely forgetting where he was, who Ezekiel was, and who were the people around them. If not for the fact that Maxen earned self-control as instinct, his fist already landed on Ezekiel's face before Maxen's words escaped his mouth.

"This…" Ezekiel shook his head, lifting his eyes to the elders. "... I didn't —"

"You didn't, what?" Conrad shot Ezekiel a deadly look while keeping his daughter in his embrace. "What did you do to her?"

"No, it was a misunderstanding!" Ezekiel panicked, looking at his grandparents, who were looking back at him with utter shock. "Nana, it's a misunderstanding. She was —"

"Papa…" Cosette's shaking voice suddenly caressed everyone's tears. Her eyes were swollen, just like her cheek. "Papa… he *hic* he —"

"It's okay, Cozie. Don't speak anymore." Conrad's heart clenched at seeing how she had a hard time speaking and breathing and crying at the same time. He pulled her into his embrace, stroking her hair gently. Yet, despite his gentle touches, his eyes were burning as if he was ready to kill anyone.

"I welcomed the Stones as a respect to my elder." Conrad's voice was trembling in anger, and even though it was quiet, everyone was aware he was furious. "Yet, in return, you will hurt my daughter in our own home? Such insolence…"

"Uncle —" Ezekiel choked when Conrad looked at him again. This time, Ezekiel instinctively shut up, knowing if he speak another word, Conrad would tear his jaw apart. No mercy.

"Zeke…" called Ezekiel's grandmother worriedly, then shifting her eyes to Marcel and Gretchen. Those two, who always wore a beautiful and welcoming smile, looked back at her coldly.

"Take your grandson out of my sight, Sol." Marcel gripped his cane tightly, bearing the same fury in his eyes. "For old time's sake, I will let you leave this house quietly. Just hope your grandson didn't do anything unforgivable to my princess, because no amount of memories will make me forgive him."

"Marcel —"

"Get out!" Marcel pounded his cane against the ground, glaring daggers at the elders of the Stone. "Don't make me repeat myself, Sol."

Both elders from the Stone turned to Gretchen for help, but the latter looked away from them. Gretchen totally ignored them as she approached Conrad and Cosette.

"George!" Marcel yelled to the house butler when another second passed and the Stones didn't move an inch.

"We're going." The old man from the Stone spoke sternly. "Though I hope we can clear this misunderstanding —"

"There's no misunderstanding here." This time, Gretchen spoke out as she lifted her head after checking how scared her granddaughter was. "My husband and my son are being merciful for not doing anything just yet. If you didn't hear from them, consider it as mercy."

"However, I swear with my name, I will not sit still if this incident will be a trauma my granddaughter will carry for the rest of her life. I will make sure the Stones will pay heavily," Gretchen continued, almost surprising Maxen at how intimidating Cosette's grandmother was when she was angry. "Butler George, escort them out. I want them out of my family's sight in two minutes."

Butler George, who was standing on the side, bowed. His expression was also stern, facing the Stone Family while moving his arm to show them the way out.

"This way, please." Butler George was still polite, but displeasure filled his eyes.

The elders of the Stone family and a few members who tried to follow tonight's event could only look at them. Seeing how adamant and angry Marcel and Gretchen were, the old man of the Stone family cast Ezekiel a look.

"Come on, boy. You will have a lot of explaining to do," said the old man in a huff, knowing this could probably be the last time he would call Marcel and Gretchen his friends. After all, those two elders of the Blac might be friendly and understanding most of the time. However, Marcel and Gretchen were never afraid to cut people off, especially if it could risk their family.

They cut off all their relatives and didn't allow a single relative to work in the BLK Corporation to secure Conrad's position. So the Stones were aware that regardless of their long family ties, those two will not have second thoughts about ending this friendship for their granddaughter.

"I hope this made you happy," Ezekiel mumbled, clenching his fist to his side. He didn't say anything further as he followed his grandparents and uncles, following the head butler to leave the Blac Mansion.

'It didn't,' Cosette replied in her mind. 'But I don't care. I just hope you leave me alone now.'