Entwined With the Villainous Guardian
Chapter 47: In The Clutches of Brothers

Chapter 47: In The Clutches of Brothers

"Mom! That’s not it. I am housing her because she has nowhere else to go," Leander said scratching the back of his head.

Leander was blushing like a kid who was caught red-handed stealing cookies. Viviana was surprised to see that monstrous guy who threatened to kill innocent women acting like a little boy in front of his mother.

Viviana got curious about Leander’s mother. She should be the lioness for Leander to be this submissive to her.

"In your bedroom?" Viola said avoiding his eyes.

Leander bowed his head with an awkward smile, scratching his neck.

Viviana decided to stay out of whatever was happening between them. Viola’s tone was accusatory and Leander was acting submissive. It didn’t sound like a mother rebuking her son out of love, but more like she was afraid of something and trying to protect herself. Her anger sounded self-preservatory.

Well, Viviana didn’t care.

"You are the rumored woman who tied the young lion to his bed, huh?"

Viviana raised her head to the grating voice that was filled with conceit. It was hard for her to bring a smile to her face, but she did. Their eyes met for a brief second before she bowed her head. Leander didn’t tell her how she should act and so she decided to let him answer for her.

But before anyone could answer, Evander wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. Viviana clenched her hands into a fist as his other hand reached to the zipper of her dress.

This is what she was afraid of.

"That’s enough, Evander!"

Viviana closed her eyes hearing Leander’s gravelly voice.

"Oh, come on! Can’t you share?" Evander whispered to Leander. "I just want to have a look..."

Leander didn’t say anything. Viviana’s hair stood on edge.

She knew Evander is capable of stripping her down in front of others. Evander’s nauseating cologne combined with her fear, made her stomach turn. She couldn’t see anything as her face was pressed into Evander’s chest.

She waited for Viola to rebuke her son for trying to humiliate another woman so publicly. If she cared for what Leander was doing in his bedroom, she should care more about what Evander was doing in public, right? Especially, when she thinks of her as Leander’s woman...?

But Viola said nothing.

Evander’s small stubby fingers grabbed the zipper. A chill passed through Viviana’s spine. She tried to struggle out, but Evander pressed her close to his chest. She planned on hurting Evander once more as her hands could reach his crotch. His wound wouldn’t have healed entirely, and a little pinch would hurt him to death.

She almost did.

But she felt a prick in her heart remembering Leander’s threat. Should she let another woman die for the sake of her modesty? But how can she allow Evander to do this to her?

She choked not knowing what to do.

But then she regained her clarity. She relaxed her hands and stopped struggling. She cannot put more people in danger for her worthless self. Leander brought her here for a reason. And he is silent for the same reason.

In this place, nothing she does will help her. No one will help her. She is alone. She is afraid.

She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly to curb her fear.

Evander finally found his grip on the zipper handle as she stopped struggling. He sneered. "Good girl..."

Her heart pounded as she remembered the sound she heard when she was seven; a terrifying sound that resembled clapping, but she knew it was not a joyful clapping noise. She knew it because she heard that girl begging and weeping to let her go.

But those two men. No, they were not men. Those beasts... didn’t stop. That girl’s pleas were not heard. No one helped that girl.

She saw the life leaving that girl’s eyes. She was in the room, under the bed, and she didn’t do a thing. Maybe this is her punishment.

I’m sorry, Elisa... I’m sorry I let you suffer... I’m sorry I froze in fear...

Fate is cruel.

It was Evander then. It is Evander now. He hasn’t changed. Only the woman he attacks has changed. That day, it was a fourteen-year-old girl with polio; today, it is her.

That day she stayed silent out of fear. And today...

Who will it be tomorrow?

She thought she was doing a great thing by cutting off his manhood. But his behavior hasn’t changed. What has she achieved? It would have been better if she killed him.

No! She cannot regret not killing him. She is not a killer.

Tears pooled in her eyes and her stomach churned so much she feared she might throw up on Evander. And that would open the path for abuse.

"Enough!"

Viviana opened her eyes to the roar of Leander. What followed was pressure on her neck. She couldn’t guess what was happening for a few seconds, but she was surprised that Leander was holding Evander’s wrist strongly to stop him from moving his hand.

She exhaled in relief.

Evander didn’t back off. Her neck hurt as both Leander and Evander were struggling. But who was winning? She hoped it was Leander. She gritted her teeth as the struggle for her zipper continued.

She heard Evander’s heart pounding and within some seconds, with a grunt, Evander stepped back. Immediately Leander grabbed her dress on the back and pulled her. She ended up crashing into Leander’s strong chest.

The air was free to breathe again. Although the scent of nauseating cologne lingered around her, the scent of aftershave overpowered her senses calming her stomach and heart. She wiped the tears in the corner of her eyes.

Safe...

"Mind that she’s a guest!" Leander spoke gritting his teeth. He was pointing his finger at Evander in a warning tone.

Viola who was silent till then stepped forward. "Is this how you treat your big brother?" she squinted her eyes. "What if others..." she looked around. The guests haven’t arrived yet and only the staff was around. She sighed in relief.

Leander’s voice softened considerably as he answered his mother. "Mom, but~"

"No, Leander," Viola interjected Leander. Her eyes turned stern when they ended up at Leander. "This is not right. You cannot treat Evander like this. Not when the other families are here. Not ever. And all that for a woman? What did Evander do wrong?" She asked.

Viviana could not believe what she heard. This woman...

If the men of the Kastello family are wicked, this woman is no exception. She does not find Evander humiliating a woman wrong. But a younger brother raising his voice against his elder brother is unacceptable even if the eldest is in the wrong.

She thinks that it’s manly for Evander to treat women like shit, but it is wrong for Leander to stop his brother.

Sigh! How skewed is she?