adopted brother

The air in the principal’s office was heavy with tension. Yuta sat stiffly in her chair, arms crossed, her emerald green eyes flickering with defiance. Her lower lip was slightly swollen, and just beside her mouth, a small cut marred her flawless pale skin. The door swung open. A tall figure stepped in, the sharp sound of his polished shoes striking against the floor like a declaration of authority. Rafael. At twenty-six, he was no longer the impatient older brother who once found Yuta’s presence a nuisance. He was now the cold, untouchable CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a man feared and respected in equal measure. His tailored black suit fit him perfectly, emphasizing the power he carried with effortless ease. His sharp gaze swept across the room before settling on Yuta. His eyes, a deep, piercing shade of steel, darkened as they landed on the faint injury near her lips. Silence. Rafael didn’t speak, but the way his expression hardened was enough to send a chill through the room. He turned slightly, facing the two bodyguards standing near the door—men who were paid handsomely to protect Yuta. His voice, when he finally spoke, was dangerously low. “I pay you to protect her,” he said, each word slow and deliberate. “And you let this happen?” The bodyguards stiffened. Yuta, still seated, swallowed. She knew Rafael. She knew that cold fury well. And despite everything, despite the years that had passed, the sight of her brother standing there, exuding power and dominance, made her heart clench in a way she couldn’t quite understand.