Chapter 23 PUZZLE IN THE DEVEREAUX FAMILY TREE
—Stockholm Syndrome
A psychological phenomenon where people develop a bond with their captors often to the point of defending them.
This usually happens in situations where someone is held hostage and they start to see their captors as a rescuer or develop feelings of loyalty.
—
I prayed I do not realized this theory a little too late when it starts to happen because the longer I stay with Rafael, the more difficult it will become to want to leave once I start to agree with him, think of him as kind and want to speak with him every time, have him around with an excuse of him being the only one I could get familiar with as he was the instigator of our bitter relationship.
I prayed it never got to that.
I pray it never happens.
“Rachel was there that night, was she not?” Rafael asked as soon as the journey began, stroking up a conversation.
“Huh?”
I was confused. The question was clearly directed at me, and I had no clue who this ‘Rachel’ he had mentioned was, but if he was referring to the night that strange woman had assaulted me, maybe she was Rachel.
“By now, you should have known she's Madam Adele's daughter and as complicated as it might sound, she's my sister.”
“Your what?” I exclaimed, suddenly interested to find out more about the Devereaux's family tree in order to satiate my arousing curiosity because it technically made no sense how Rafael could be related to such a womsn— Madam Adele.
Does it have to make sense to me?
“I know it sounds confusing, but Rachel is my sister and it's legal. My father had a thing with her mother, you see.” He said, cleaning up the truth of the story in an instant with that single line.
“Oh!” I muzzled. “But the affection she harbors for you doesn't seem like a sibling thing.” I said, my curiosity still pushing a drive within me that I began to wonder what I was seeking to hear from him.
I continued.
“It seems more like she's in love with you.”
Rafael chuckled, picking up a tablet from the side bin which he started doing some scrolling on before giving me a response.
“I know.”
I turned away from him, failing to find the strength to continue that conversation with him.
His so-called sister was apparently in love with him and this explains the reason behind her callous attitude towards me. That of her mother, Madam Adele too.
Perhaps, Madam Adele was aware of her daughter's affection for her brother and the both of them were on to something to dispose me off right from the moment Santiano Rafael Devereaux had me in the picture.
Madam Adele had been unreasonably hostile to me for reasons unknown before which I was aware of now and to protect her daughter's feelings, she would go any length for Rachel in order to keep her happy even if it meant getting rid of me entirely so she can marry her off to her step-brother, Rafael.
All these were the thoughts spinning through my head and for the most part, they were true and this discovery might be one of my golden keys to the door of freedom.
With no doubts, Rachel hates me already, but if I could get closer to her due to the hurtful feelings she has for me, I might as well use this as a means to push for an escape.
She'd be ready to help me get away from Rafael just so she could have him again.
I didn't care about the atrocity their relationship might cost as long as it granted me my liberation from Rafael, I was in for it.
But first, I need to see Rachel again, to speak to her and to make her a part of my plan.
I might need to hold hands with my enemy to reach what I wanted.
I have to!
“I’m sorry she did that to you.” Rafael apologized tenderly after a while.
I smiled in my head. An apology was probably the last thing I needed, but I also had to play along so he doesn't suspect any shady devices from me.
I didn't give a response to him and we continued in silence.
—
Rafael had business at one of his hospitality enterprises. Apparently, he owned the largest club house at the heart of the city.
But the business he had was to settle some scores with another mafia family who he had signed a deal with to save their business from sinking.
The Rossi family has signed a business deal with the Devereaux family and each clause of this agreement was in favor of the Rossi family until their business was back in boom— due to the help they'd be receiving directly from Rafael.
But soon after the deal was set in motion, the Rossi family struck, taking dealings with rival families who weren't on good terms with the Devereaux family.
The Rossi family soon had begun to give firearm supplies and ammunition to these rival families and as well, they sold drugs to minors which was a forbidden deal in the Devereaux family.
Rafael, having gotten intel on the dealings of the leader of the Rossi family which was a breach to their initial agreement and a potential threat to the Devereaux family, Rafael had ordered for a complete take over of the Rossi family business.
Rossi had stormed Rafael's club house to lead another bargain, but Rafael had no more mercy to show him.
“Why would you want to take over my entire business when you own almost everything in this city?” Rossi raged at Rafael.
Rafael, who was seated on a sofa, was surprisingly calm and collected, the words of Rossi almost sounding like a dog's bark to his ears.
“That's what you get for trying to mess with Santiano Rafael Devereaux.”
Rossi flared up again, but this time, he suddenly grabbed the whiskey glass before him, hurling it into the air across where he was— almost directly at Rafael, but the glass headed in my direction and the last I saw was Rafael springing up to his feet…
And he pulled out a gun from nowhere, so did his men.
…and the world turned black
…and blank
…and then, silent.