Rafael’s back hit the locker with a loud thud, and before he could breathe, his twin brother Leonard pinned his neck with an elbow. Rafael’s breath seized, and he struggled to break free.
“W-what are you doing?” he managed to speak, struggling.
“Who gave you the nerve to challenge me during dinner last night? Right in front of Father!” Leonard roared, his eyes blazing with anger.
“You were crossing the line. They’re our stepsisters who have suffered. You should have some respect,” Rafael uttered through gritted teeth.
“Respect? Those bitches disrespected Father, trying to ruin our family. He taught them a lesson they deserved, and you expect me to give them respect?” Leonard scoffed. “Oh, I’ll teach you what respect is.”
He dragged Rafael by the hair into an empty classroom, his minions following. Rafael yelped at the pain spreading across his scalp. His hands ached to remove Leonard’s grip, but his brother was too strong.
Inside the room, Leonard shoved Rafael, his back hitting the table before crumpling to the floor.
“I’m the older twin. I’ll do whatever I want, whenever I want, and how I want. You don’t have the right to question or tell me what to do, especially not in front of the whole family,” Leonard growled.
“Can you just leave me alone? I’m your brother, for Christ’s sake!” Rafael yelled from the floor.
“My weak brother,” Leonard corrected. “I heard from Mother that the doctor said you weren’t a strong child when you were born. You’re weak and vulnerable, and they had to take special care of you.” Leonard scoffed. “Look at you. I hate that we share the same face and last name.”
Rafael tried to stand as Leonard continued.
“You don’t deserve to be my brother. You don’t deserve to be a Wallington. You’re weak and disgusting,” Leonard spat, grabbing Rafael’s hair again, more harshly.
“Let go!” Rafael roared, shoving him away.
Leonard staggered, his leg catching a chair, causing him to fall.
Rafael’s eyes widened in shock at what he had done. “No, no! I didn’t mean to hurt you, okay? Just let this go,” he stammered.
Leonard stood, dusting off his clothes. He turned to his minions. “Beat him up.”
Rafael’s eyes widened. “What?”
A loud groan escaped him as one of them punched his stomach hard. Rafael crumpled to the floor with another groan.
“Stop!”
“Stop hurting me!”
“Argh! Fucking stop!”
“Leo, stop them!”
Rafael’s scream pierced the air, and Leonard felt a twisted sense of superiority, satisfaction etched on his face.
“What is going on here?” a thick baritone voice sounded from the entrance. They all stopped to see a tall, built middle-aged man in a suit, staring at them with his hands tucked into his pockets.
A few strands of white hair fell over his cold face, his blue eyes as piercing as ever. His presence had Leonard wondering who the man was.
“Something that’s none of your business,” Leonard sneered, holding his head high. “I haven’t seen you before, so you’re probably a new teacher. Let me tell you one of the rules here: Don’t butt your nose into my business. Ask the other teachers.”
“None of my business?” The man stepped forward, raising a brow. His aura was menacing, much like Leonard’s father’s, though Leonard tried not to show his intimidation.
“I’m not one of those teachers you can threaten. Whether your father is a tycoon here in Australia, I don’t give a damn. Try me, and I’ll discipline you strictly.”
“Get out, bastard,” Leonard spat, but was met with a punch to the face in return.
Leonard’s head tilted to the side, his eyes widening. No one had ever hit him. Not even his parents!
He tried to yell but was hit again.
“You!” Leonard roared, but his words were cut off as the man grabbed his throat, choking him.
“Detention,” the man said coldly, turning to the other boys who now cowered in fear. “All of you. Now get your asses to class.”
He released Leonard.
“You’ll regret this,” Leonard glared, storming out with the others.
Rafael wiped the blood from his mouth. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said.
“Why not?”
“He’ll come for you,” Rafael warned, and the man remained silent.
“Get back to class.” The man turned to leave, but Rafael stopped him.
“You’re not a teacher. You don’t look like one. Are you a politician? I’ve seen many powerful men in this country, but I don’t recognize you. Do you work for my father?” Rafael asked, and the man glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes cold, clearly irritated by the question.
“I work for no one,” he replied. “Now head to your class. I don’t tolerate lateness.”
Rafael watched the man leave, glancing down at his trembling hands. Not because of Leonard, but because of the man he had just spoken with. His gaze was too sharp.
Leonard would be curious about the man. Rafael knew his brother would go after him sooner or later. That might be a mistake.
Who was he?
—
It had been hours since Cassius had been in the gym, punching the bag in front of him. The seventh bag, after the previous six had burst from his powerful hits.
Indigo. She had been shot in the chest. He had failed to protect her.
Sweat dripped down his body, his gaze sharp and dangerous enough to make anyone cower in fear. The room echoed with his groans and the thud of his fists colliding with the bag.
“Fuck!” he cursed as the seventh bag burst, his hand stuck inside as its contents spilled across the floor.
He moved to the eighth, but a voice stopped him.
“Cash.”
His expression softened as he caught his breath, turning to face Tatiana. She was better now, after much rest and food.
“Hey,” his voice cracked with emotion. He could see Tatiana trying to resist breaking down, too. She had cried in his arms after hearing the news, both of them waiting for the result.
Tatiana walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. Cassius felt his nerves ease. She was like his medicine when he was on the verge of rampage.
Oh, how he couldn’t wait to get his hands on the Wallingtons.
Starting with the bastard who shot Indigo. Tristan.
“Rebel,” he whispered as she hugged him tighter, her head pressing against his chest.
“Will this war ever end? I can’t have anyone else die because of me,” Tatiana croaked, tears welling in her eyes.
Before Cassius could respond, his phone rang. Hudson’s name flashed on the screen. He exchanged a glance with Tatiana before answering.
He took a deep breath. “Hudson?”
His body tensed, and Tatiana did the same.
“The surgery…” Hudson sighed. “The surgery went well.”
Cassius shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. Tatiana ran her fingers through her hair in relief.
“But the doctor said she’s still in critical condition. The shock might do something terrible to her. She could have died if I hadn’t held her before the bullet hit her chest. The bullet barely missed her heart. I… I can’t lose her, Cash. I can’t. She’s a good person, a bright person. Why did they go after her? They should have shot me instead. She did nothing wrong.” Hudson’s voice cracked with emotion, weak as if he had been crying for a long time.
“Lucas is the best doctor I know. He’ll take care of her. Now, I need you to do me a favor and watch over her, okay? I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay.”
“One more thing. Announce her death,” Cassius said, and Hudson understood exactly what he meant.