Saving the Villain

Meanwhile, in the Quinns' residence...

Asher was sitting on the swoon chair in his room with a book on his lap. However, instead of reading or doing something productive to add some knowledge to him, he was staring at the black and gold Lloyd Bookcase across the room with blank eyes.

Ever since Luke told him about his transfer, Asher had been distracted throughout the day. Just like right now, he was zoning out, thinking, why did Maynard, their father, approve it? It just didn't make sense. Everyone knew Luke was impulsive and always decide on a whim.

Most of Luke's decisions — even if they were bad ones — were alright since they would teach him a lesson. However, this one was a big one, wasn't it? Luke shifted from the best academy in the country to a no-name public high school. Even if Luke would become the top in his class, that wouldn't be better than being the last in the academy.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" he narrowed his eyes, recalling Cosette and her words during the annual party of their company. "It must be."

In Asher's understanding, Luke changed school in the middle of the school year to pursue Cosette. And Maynard agreed because he wanted to be in-laws with Conrad. The Blac Family had significant and strong connections in business, politics, and every field.

If the Quinns and Blacs joined hands and became family, that would make them... invincible. Moreover, since the Quinns were categorized as elites among elites, one of the very few families in the country who were at the peak of the upper echelon, there were only a few people whom they could benefit through marriage.

One of them was the Blac Family.

If Luke and Cosette were arranged for a marriage, no one would object. Both families almost had an equal ground and their companies would benefit equally from each other. It wasn't a terrible strategy... in a business sense. But of course, Conrad wouldn't allow his daughter to be tangled in an engagement or forced anything on her to make her miserable.

Maynard had been friends with Conrad for a long time to know his friend. And thus, he was letting Luke linger around Cosette, in hopes the two of them would become sweethearts.

But the thought of it left a bitter taste in Asher's mouth.

"This is annoying," he muttered as his expression grew grim. "Are we that desperate to borrow power from the Blac's? Or... isn't he confident in me anymore?"

Asher clicked his tongue in irritation as it bruised his ego. It only made him feel like Maynard wasn't sure whether Asher could maintain the Quinn's greatness. He also disliked the idea of his little brother being used as a mere tool. It made him sick to the stomach.

"Nevermind." He closed the book on his lap and placed it on top of the stand near him. "They're too young for that to understand."

He rocked his head as he told himself he was simply overthinking. Cosette, although made a foolish decision, didn't seem like a gullible one. She might smile so wide it made her look like a fool, but there was this little part in Asher who believed in her spirit and the data of her school records.

Asher went out of his room to get a glass of water and breathe some fresh air in the garden. However, when he was by the mansion's lobby, he stopped as his eyes fell on Luke, who was entering the main door.

Asher shoved his hand inside his pocket, holding the glass of water in the other. "You don't look like you had a good first day," he greeted his brother after noticing the dark shroud hovering over Luke.

"Grrr..." Luke glared at him before he released his anger through a yell. "Ughh!! That annoying -- !"

Asher jolted as his brother's loud voice echoed as if the latter had swallowed a speaker. Even the maids around the area jumped in surprise while others rushed to the lobby to see if something had happened. To their dismay, it was just Luke throwing a huge fit.

Luke was panting as he threw his almost empty bag on the floor and cracked his knuckles in anger. "That guy... I will crush him someday." He smoldered through his gritted teeth as he had held in his anger towards Maxen for too long.

"I will..."

"Second young master --" the maid who bravely approached the exploding young master jumped back when the latter glared at her as if he would kill her.

"Leave me alone!" he yelled and huffed, but the maid mustered her courage as she was holding the wireless telephone.

"But second young master, the young miss of the Blac Family is in the line."

"I don't care about — what?" in a snap of a finger, Luke seemed to have sobered up from being drunk in anger as his eyes went round. Only then did he notice the telephone in her hand, which made him glide towards her and snatched it away.

"Cozie?!" Luke gasped as he placed it in front of his ear.

"Luke, are you alright??"

"Of course! Hahaha! Why wouldn't I be? Why are you calling in here and not on my phone?"

"I was trying to reach you, but your phone is dead."

Luke laughed as he jogged his way towards the stairs as if he wasn't throwing a huge fit just now. "Right. I think my phone is dead. Haha! Did you miss me~?"

While everyone who rushed into the lobby and saw him throw a huge fit watched how fast Luke changed his mood, Asher glanced at the broken phone on the floor. Luke threw his things and now his phone shattered into many pieces.

"It's literally dead," he mumbled and then glanced up, catching Luke already on the second floor. "He's gone crazy."

Asher shook his head as he let the maids clean up Luke's mess while he head to the garden. His brother had a very explosive mood, but this was the first time Asher saw Luke get angry like this. When he sat down on the intricate marble chair and placed the glass of water on the table, Asher tilted his head to the side.

"Who is he talking about?" he wondered, recalling that Cosette seemed to have no idea what happened to Luke, and Luke did not mention it to her. "Did he get into a fight on his first day? That's strange."

In his opinion, although his brother had this explosive temperament, Luke mostly get angry at him or at their family. He would throw a tantrum on family matters, but Luke never got into a fight. Surprisingly, his brother was good at socializing, especially with the people around his age.

That was why... Luke had many friends in the academy. And even when his grades were passing grades, he was still popular. It was strange for him to have an enemy on the very first day.

"Well... that school is public, and it's an entirely new environment for him." He shrugged as he took a deep breath to have some peace. "I shouldn't concern myself with his business too much. He doesn't like it and thinks I'm trying to control his life, anyway."

********

Meanwhile...

"That brat —!" Maxen kicked the trash on the corner of the street in irritation. No matter how many times he had cursed Luke in his head, he just couldn't get to calm himself down. Maxen had always thought no one could anger him anymore after what he had experienced in his brief existence.

He had already mastered the nonchalance that he believed even if this world ended now, he wouldn't even bat an eye. He had ZERO care, and he thought nothing could anger him more since he had hated the world deep in his bones.

But Luke proved him wrong.

Luke's existence proved to him that there would always be that one person who could press all his buttons and test a person's patience.

"Damn!" he grumbled as he stomped his feet through the narrow street on his way to his apartment. On his way, Maxen suddenly stopped in front of a small store. He slowly turned his head and gazed at himself in the reflection of the transparent glass wall.

His anger slowly subsided as he looked at his reflection. Fat, messy hair, and just overall unattractive. Maxen rarely looked at himself in front of the mirror because there was no point for him and his looks never bothered him. But now that he was staring at himself, Luke's face suddenly crossed his head.

He balled his hand into a fist. Maxen was aware he wasn't attractive and Cosette wouldn't like him because of how he looked; it would be a miracle if she did. Still, he didn't have time, nor did he have the money to take care of himself. He was too busy surviving day by day.

"... I hope you reconsider, Mister Cloven."

His jaw tightened as Conrad's voice suddenly rang in his head and his eyes were filled with bitterness. Maxen stood there and stared at himself for a long time, letting time pass without thinking about it. When he snapped his eyes, he pivoted on his heel and walked away. As he did so, Maxen shoved his hand inside his pocket and dialed someone before he placed it in front of his ear.

It rang twice before the line was picked up.

"Hello, Mister Blac?" he greeted and heard the man's familiar hum. "When should I start?"