novelraw Chapter 966: DEAL
Chapter 966: DEAL
While Julia, her husband, and Elliot were sent home, Celestine remained in the shadows, oblivious to the negotiations that had unfolded. Desperate and isolated, she reached out to her father for sanctuary.
Ferdinand, however, offered nothing but silence. Though he had protected her location from Stefan, he refused to intervene any further. He knew Stefan had drawn a hard line between them, and Ferdinand wasn’t willing to gamble on the fragile relationship he had painstakingly built with his only grandchild—the one bridge he couldn’t afford to burn.
Celestine’s descent continued as she moved from friend to friend, begging for sanctuary, only to find that Stefan’s influence cast a long, terrifying shadow. No one was willing to risk his wrath; one by one, they turned a blind eye, closing their doors and leaving her to the cold. She remained a fugitive in her own circles until a chance discovery by one of Elliot’s colleagues finally pulled her out of the frantic cycle of hiding.
TWO WEEKS LATER...
"I’m finally home," Luiz sighed, sinking into the living room couch as if it were a throne of pure relief. He pulled a throw pillow to his chest, closing his eyes and taking a long, grounding breath of the house’s familiar scent. "You really didn’t have to make such a fuss at the hospital, you know. I was just hungry, not tortured."
"Technically, starvation is a form of torture," Dahlia countered, emerging from the kitchen with a tray of snacks. "And please, try to understand—that ’fuss’ was just a different word for worry."
"I know, I know. No need for the lecture," Luiz retorted, though his irritation was betrayed by the way he snatched a macaron and ate it with pure gusto. He shot her a sidelong glance. "You’re getting sharper, you know."
"Not as sharp as you, Sir Luiz," Dahlia replied with a modest tilt of her head.
She began to retreat, sensing the need to give the family their space. Though her own heart had been heavy with worry throughout the ordeal, she knew her place. As a stay-in working student living there with her mother and sister, she understood the rhythm of the household; the inner circle needed their moment with him first, and she would be there to help once the dust settled.
"Now that you’re back, I need you to focus on your studies and put the modeling on the back burner. It’s not as if we can’t afford to support you," Jonas said, his gaze lingering on the bruises that still mottled his son’s skin. "I have a solid work, and the pay is more than enough to cover your tuition."
"I’m working, too. I can easily cover your allowance," Kyle added, his voice tight with anxiety he couldn’t quite mask. To him, every modeling gig was just another chance for Luiz to end up in danger, scattered across unpredictable shooting locations where they couldn’t protect him.
"And what am I? Invisible?" Cayenne interrupted, arching a perfectly groomed brow. She looked at them with a mixture of amusement and fierce pride. "Even without touching a cent of my husband’s money, I have more than enough to support all three of you."
Luiz looked at the three of them, each one proudly staking their claim on his future, and felt a swell of gratitude that went far deeper than words. He never once doubted their ability to provide; he knew he was lucky. But their protectiveness only reinforced the very reason he had started working in the first place.
For as long as he could remember, he had been the one shielded and cared for, his every need met before he even realized it existed. Cayenne, especially, had a way of reading his silences, providing support so quietly he almost didn’t notice the hand catching him until after he’d landed. He loved them for it, but the cycle of being the "protected" one felt like a debt he was eager to settle. Now that he finally had the means to stand on his own—and more importantly, the chance to finally give back to his sister—he wasn’t about to let it go.
"Are you up for a negotiation?" Luiz retorted, his lips curling into a sheepish, disarming smile. "I don’t doubt for a second that you guys have my back, but I need this. I want to earn my own way."
Cayenne studied him, her expression softened. She knew that trying to ground him would only stifle the independence he was so clearly craving, and she refused to be the one to take that freedom away. "Alright, negotiator," she said, leaning back. "What are your terms?"
"Five gigs a week?" Luiz proposed, holding up five fingers and widening his eyes in a playful attempt to look innocent. He poured on the charm, trying to melt their resolve before they could even think of saying no.
"Five max, but shooting shall be done in my studio," Cayenne responded with no room for rebuttals. "I’ll talk to David regarding this matter."
"Alright," Luiz answered and gave an ’okay’ sign. "That’s a deal."
"We’ve been away for more than two hours. Stefan and I will go home now. Just ring me up if you have any questions."
Stefan’s negotiation with the in-laws bought a fragile peace, effectively killing the investigation into Luiz’s abduction. Yet, justice remained half-served. Mr. Sy’s murderers were still out there, anonymous and lethal, and as long as Isabelle Ignacio remained in the wind, the truth was as far out of reach as she was.
Up to this point, it was unknown whether those people were his enemies or if they were really after the Rivera family. Stefan had asked Dr. Eliezer about it, but the man remained silent, firm with his promise that the problem had nothing to do with Luiz.
They can’t be too complacent, or they might regret it in the end. At this moment, Stefan decided to steel his resolve and be selfish – selfish for his family’s protection.