Stefan stood a little petrified.  He thought that they would be a little friendly towards him after receiving the gifts that he gave them. But he was wrong. Very wrong.

“Come inside first.” Stefan gestured them to come inside and he opened the door a little wider. “She’ll be coming out in few minutes.”

“Can’t we see her now? I want to bring her home. It’s not right for her to stay here with you.” Kyle stated. “I’m grateful for the gifts that you sent but, I don’t want my sister to pay it with her own body.” He added with firm and determined look on his face.

“I agree with my brother. We love our sister so much and we really appreciate the gifts you gave but, I don’t think it’s good for our sister.” Luiz also mentioned.

Stefan looked at the two of them and sighed. “Can I get you something to drink first? You can talk to me about everything you wanted to know.”

“O-okay.”

Stefan went to the kitchen to get something to drink and to eat for Cayenne’s brothers. While he was at it, Kyle and Luiz were looking around the house that they got into.

“Are they living together here?” Luiz whispered.

“We’ll know soon.”

Stefan came back few minutes later with a tray of juice and cookies. “We don’t have much of snacks so, I hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s fine.” Kyle answered and took a glass of juice from the tray and had a gulp from it. “So, you’re keeping my sister here?”

“Uhm…It’s not that I’m keeping her here but it is a mutual decision done by the two of us.”

“So, you’re saying that my sister agreed to live with you here?” Luiz questioned in disbelief. “Why would she do that?”

“Because, she cares for me.”

“Is my sister a kept mistress?” This question from Kyle was like a bomb but it made Stefan chuckle faintly at them.

“My name is Stefan Dumrique. I’m single and I am not keeping your sister as my mistress.”

“Stefan Dumrique? That man who owns several businesses and that Stefan who had been changing his girl like how often he changes his underwear?” Luiz was very blunt and vulgar with his words. He wasn’t showing any mercy at him at all. Even though he was helping them.

Stefan coughed drily and clasped his hands together and placed them over his knees. “I am serious with your sister. I admit that I’ve been playing around before but, your sister is different. I want to keep her by my side forever.”

“Didn’t you just date someone recently? You even gave her a phone.” Kyle retorted which embarrassed Stefan a little. It was something he won’t be able to deny.

“I had to do it in order to keep your sister safe. I don’t want anyone to know her identity because her private life will be disturbed. I don’t want that to happen.”

Cayenne was standing right behind the door and she heard what Stefan said. She knew it was just an excuse but a lie will not solve another lie. Stefan was just adding more fuel to the already burning fire. She opened the door and walked limply downstairs.

“What are you talking about?” Cayenne asked him with wide eyes. “Stefan, didn’t you promise me that you won’t say anything unnecessary?”

“It’s necessary, Ayen. Your brothers need to know about us.” He responded while walking as quickly as he could towards her, to make sure that she won’t be putting so much pressure on her swollen foot.

Cayenne held her hand and walked to the couch in the living room to face her brothers as well. “But we talked about this a while ago.” Cayenne argued back. “I can’t believe you’ll do this.”

“It’s a must. I’ll talk to you later.” Stefan brushed her off but their short conversation already convinced her brothers; Cayenne agreed to this set up with him. She voluntarily lived with him.

“Yen?” Kyle called her attention. “Is it true that you agreed to live with him? I just need to know that you aren’t forced to do this thing.”

“I agreed.”

“And you are not a kept mistress?”

“No. I promise you that Stefan had been very good to me. He takes care of me.”

“Takes care of you? Then, would you care to tell us why you’re limping around?” Luiz inquired with a dark expression on his face. He was very displeased and Cayenne was a little worried. It was the first time that she witnessed her brothers acting like this in front of her.

They were wary of Stefan and worried for her. They were doubtful of his words but they believed their sister. Cayenne won’t lie to them.

“This is my fault. I tripped yesterday after shift. And Stefan had been taking care of me since last night.”

“You are not just defending him?” Kyle chided her.

“No, I am not.” Cayenne insisted. “Anyway, I am telling you the truth now.”

“Just to clarify this matter. You are not babysitting someone at night instead, you are staying here with him.” Luiz reiterated everything. “He didn’t force you to do anything in exchange with the gadgets he gave us. He is also taking care of you.”

“It sounds so bad when it comes from you but, yes.”

“So, don’t get mad at your sister. She didn’t really mean to keep this matter from you.” Stefan added to make sure that Cayenne won’t be put in a difficult situation.

Kyle and Luiz nodded their head. “This is an adult stuff so, we won’t meddle with you two. However, if you ever hurt our sister, you will now how we will deal with you.”

“Hn. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“But, we are still takin our sister today.” Luiz insisted. “We need to discuss something.”

“But her ankle is still sprained. She needed to rest.” Stefan complained at a little. “Can’t you give her time to recuperate first?”

“Recuperate? Here?” Kyle and Luiz asked in unison. Stefan nodded his head firmly and he was looking at them expectantly. “No, we can’t allow this.”

“Ayen, will you be coming back tonight?” Stefan turned to Cayenne for help. “I need you here.”

Cayenne rolled her eyes at him. “Will you be picking me up again?”

“You will allow me to pick you up? Are you sure?”

Luiz and Kyle looked at each other before looking at the two people talking in front of them. “Fine. We won’t take her for now. But can you leave us for a moment? We really have something that we need to talk.”

“Okay.” Stefan stood up and walked upstairs. “If you guys need to ask me something, don’t hesitate to call me.”

The three of them were sitting in the living room, facing together with serious expression on their faces and were quietly observing each one of them. Cayenne was waiting for their harsh words and judgmental gazes while looking down on her clasped hands that she placed on her lap.

However, what came out from their mouth were stifled laughter. Her two brothers were laughing silently like crazy. “I never knew that I have a very good acting skill.” Kyle mumbled while clutching his stomach from so much laughter.

“I know. When I looked at his face the moment he opened the door, I was really about to laugh. He looked petrified.” Luiz added in a whisper.

“I think I was really cool earlier.” Kyle said proudly and he even lightly banged his chest.

“He looked so sincere while talking us while we were just acting in front of him. Now, I’m pretty sure that he’s someone admirable.”

Cayenne watched her two brothers whispering back and forth while laughing on their words. She had no idea what to feel for Stefan. He tried his best to convince her siblings while her siblings were just playing with him. The only truth in their words was the warning he left. If he ever hurt her, they will do everything they can to make him pay.

And Stefan knew that they were serious with the warning. At the same time, he wasn’t the least bit worried. Why? Because he will never hurt her again. That’s what he’s been keeping in mind.

Stefan was sitting on their bed. He could hear faint laughter from the living room but he couldn’t make out their words. He had no idea what they were talking about. In the middle of nothing to do, his phone buzzed on his pocket. The moment he fished it out and saw the message, his face scrunch and his eyes were turbulent.

He knew it will happen sooner or later but, he was also praying that they will just leave them alone. He will never marry anyone that they will choose for him. He won’t even take over the company that was meant for his brother. He will never follow their words.

Stefan deleted the message that he got and pretended he didn’t see anything. In his mind, he decided that one can stop him from staying with Cayenne. He will never allow anyone to separate them. Not even her family can stop him.