Chapter 21 Your son... is he very powerful?
The delinquents backed away, shaking their heads vigorously, terror stamped on their faces. “N-no! We don't want anything!”
Katherine arched an eyebrow, satisfied. With a gesture of pure dominance, she took the lit cigarette and tucked it behind the paralyzed henchman's ear. “That's better. More... obedient.”
Without another word, she resumed walking, passing them as if they didn't exist.
“Cousin! Wait for us!” Nísia's shrill voice broke the spell.
Like frightened chicks running after their mother, Nísia, Dandara, and the other girls ran to hide behind Katherine.
Only Marlon Fuller remained where he was, his expression grim, his pride too wounded to allow him to be saved by the girl he had despised minutes before.
Katherine stopped and looked at the delinquents over her shoulder, cold as ice. “Don't get me wrong. We're not together. You can continue what you were doing.”
Nísia's face paled. “Sister! How could you do that?!” she shouted indignantly.
Katherine solemnly ignored her and resumed her walk, moving away from that pathetic drama. Behind her, Dandara's sobs began again, but she didn't look back.
Suddenly, a flash of light hit her eyes.
Katherine turned her head quickly, her fighting instincts still activated. In the alley to her right, a boy was holding a camera and a small backpack.
“Boy, what are you doing?” Her voice came out sharp.
The boy lowered the camera. A broad, genuine smile lit up his face as he ran toward her. “Sis! You were awesome just now! So badass!”
Katherine's icy expression faltered. She looked at the familiar features, and a trace of surprise softened her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking away, trying to regain her composure.
“I came to see you, duh!” He laughed, excited. “I waited at the school gate for a long time. When I saw you beating up those thugs, I didn't want to interrupt your performance.”
He puffed out his chest proudly. “Mom and Dad won't let me come see you, so I joined a martial arts school. I already know a whole sequence of moves! Check it out!”
He looked at Katherine with eyes shining with pure admiration. To the world, she was an outcast or a monster; to him, she was a hero.
Katherine looked at her nine-year-old brother. The wall of ice in her heart cracked a little. “Who brought you?” she asked, her voice a little less harsh.
“I came by car.”
I tricked the driver, told him I needed to buy school supplies.“ He gave a mischievous chuckle.
Katherine sighed. She knew their father would do anything to keep them apart. ”I have things to take care of. Call the driver to pick you up now."
Heitor Lutz thought for a moment, looking disappointed, but finally nodded obediently.
Katherine didn't leave. She waited there, leaning against the wall, while he ate some of the snacks she had bought. Every time he called her “sister,” she felt a strange twinge in her chest. An indescribable emotion, warm and uncomfortable for someone accustomed to loneliness.
Fifteen minutes later, the Lutz family car appeared with screeching tires. The driver got out with an expression of pure terror at seeing the young master in that place.
He quickly picked up the boy, as if to save him from contamination.
“Wait,” Katherine called.
The driver stopped, turning cautiously. “Miss? Do you need anything?”
Katherine looked into the man's eyes, her expression returning to its usual impenetrable mask. “Don't tell that person that he came to see me. Understand?”
The driver blinked, stunned for a brief second, before understanding took over his face. The fear of this young woman, who emanated such a dangerous aura, spoke louder.
“I-I understand, miss.”
He swallowed hard. As she watched the luxury car drive away, taking her brother to safety, Katherine also turned away. Her lonely silhouette disappeared around the corner, blending into the shadows of the afternoon.
But Heitor Lutz did not return home immediately.
The boy was smart. As soon as he learned that his father was stuck in an urgent meeting at the company, he masterfully manipulated the situation. He had the driver take him to buy expensive gifts and ordered him to drop him off at the Arbex family residence.
Seeing his sister was an almost impossible mission, so he needed to take advantage of every opportunity to gather information.
The Arbex mansion was bustling. As soon as he entered, he was greeted by Anastasia Coller, who wore a broad, overly hospitable smile. Employees rushed back and forth, carrying boxes and dresses to one of the main rooms.
“Heitor, dear! What a wonderful surprise!” Anastasia crouched down to his height, her eyes shining with almost manic joy. “Look at all this commotion... Your sister is going to be engaged to my son! Your aunt is so happy!”
The news made Heitor's stomach churn, but he kept his expression innocent. Anastasia had been beaming since she received confirmation that morning; for her, this was a social triumph.
Heitor pursed his lips thoughtfully. He tilted his head to one side and asked in a sweet, childlike voice:
“Auntie, your son... is he very powerful?”
Anastasia's eyes widened in surprise at the question. “Of course he is, dear! He's an Arbex.”
“But...” Heitor insisted, seriously. “Can he beat my sister? Because if he can't beat her in a fight, I won't accept this marriage.”
The smile on Anastasia's face froze. Her hand, which was stroking the boy's hair, stopped abruptly and then gave two stiff pats, betraying her nervousness.
“Oh, you...” She let out a forced laugh. “You're a little boy with a lot of imagination.”
Meanwhile, far from the comfort of the mansions, the atmosphere was heavy.
Dandara Arbex and her group finally emerged from the dark alley, trembling and with their clothes disheveled. The afternoon sun seemed to shine too brightly for the humiliation they felt.
Dandara's first reaction was to grab her cell phone, her fingers trembling over the screen. “I'm calling the police right now! My father will destroy them!”
“No!” Marlon Fuller's order was a sharp snap. He grabbed her wrist tightly.
“Marlon? But they took everything!”
“Leave it to me,” he said, his voice dark. His face was swollen where he had been punched, and his pride was even more wounded. “I recorded each of their faces. I'll make them pay, but my way.”