Stand on Your Ground

Arvin quickly showed a priceless reaction to his words. He saw his mom from his peripheral vision as well. She’s showing the same reaction as his dad—no, it's not just the two of them.

Everyone is indeed sharing the same reaction. Surprised.

“Red eyes?” Cj repeated. Confusion is written all over his face. “What is that? A code or something?”

“It’s literal.”

“I don’t understand? How could those two words help me to win against them?”

“Do you still remember the incident at Kiel’s lab?”

“There’s no way I would forget that. Cheska almost died because of that incident. Not to mention, what she did was really stupid.”

“So you only know the surface of it,” Carl nodded repeatedly. Somehow, it’s starting to make sense why Cj didn’t get what he said. “Your sister drank something she shouldn’t have. That could kill her in seconds.

"Luckily, Kiel was there to help her. Unluckily, there’s no antidote available. He was left with no choice but to inject your sister with one of his chemicals that could kill the poison instantly.

“Frankly speaking, that chemical was purposely made for her. But since she’s still a kid, he tried it first to Arvin to see and check if it’s deadly or not. Gladly, it isn’t and the purpose of the chemical is working perfectly.”

“Purpose?”

“Whoever is injected by that chemical, their eyes will turn scarlet red once their anger is heightened and their strengths will be on a different level. Your father has those eyes and incredible strength as well. The thing is, not everyone could see it because he knows how to control his anger at all times.”

“But my sister often gets mad before so why haven’t I seen those eyes—if you’re telling the truth?”

“The magic will only be shown once the defensive instinct is triggered. Your father went under the same process. I am not sure if the girl you believe is your sister had also gone through the same process. No one can tell until it's shown.

"But that’s not the point now, is it? You need them to believe you and let you stay here. That’s your main objective for the upcoming meeting.”

His lips are slightly parted but no words are coming out of it. That was mind-blowing.

Should he believe it? Such a thing exists? It is hard to believe in something that the bare eyes still haven’t seen.

But he has no choice but to hold onto that, to use that.

He’s empty-handed. He doesn't want to enter the meeting room, to face his family and the elders without carrying a weapon or else he would be bested.

“Cj, you need to make them believe you’ve witnessed the magic yourself,” Carl said. “With that, you can resume your search without your own family going on your way. I leave the rest to you. Good luck.”

The entire meeting room is still in silence. Two words and Cj made all of them shut their mouths.

Meanwhile, his cousins are silent too but not because of a surprise but because of confusion. If their smart minds are still working, Cj’s words have a deep meaning.

Just like what he thought before, they’re thinking it’s a code that only the elders including Cj know.

“I saw it on her eyes,” Cj went on hoping it would bring them back to their senses. He doesn’t need their silence. He needs their explanation for that. “Why?”

He has to make them believe that he’s still clueless about the magic. If not, they would only be suspicious and think someone told him about that. It might put Carl in a tight situation.

If he uses his sharp mind, the complete details about the lab incident are only for the elders. Cj might know a lot more than what his cousins know, but that detail is hidden from him.

“Where is she?”

“How?” he ignored the question. His father may be the first one to speak a question but the priority now is his question. He’s not going to answer anything until his question is answered. “What happened to my sister? What did you do to her?”

“Cj, answer my question—”

“I am not,” he said unwaveringly.

Cj stood on his ground. He’s not going to falter. His question is what needed to be answered right now. Arvin sensed it so he finally backed down.

He was left with no choice but to tell him everything.

It’s the same as his uncle’s story. What he heard from him is what he also heard from his father.

Looks like Carl was really telling him the truth. He’s glad he followed his advice.

It worked. Perfectly.

“Now, tell me—”

“I need the sample of that chemical to scrutinize it. I need to know what is going on inside my sister’s body—”

“There were only three samples. It’s not existing now. What you want to do is too impossible.”

His brows furrowed. He’s about to speak when his mother butted in.

“Cj, where is she?”

There’s hope in her voice. It’s like she’s getting itchier and she wants her question to be answered quickly.

It's like she’s ready to go wherever she is. She doesn’t care if she’s on the other side of the world, she’s still going only to see her beloved daughter.

Again.

Since it’s his mother, he answered that question instantly. “She’s in Margarita. As I said, she’s studying at my university.”

“As?”

“As a Commoner.”

“You investigated her, am I right? Can you tell us anything? Who got he—”

“Her current name is Cheska Park.”

Their eyes slowly widened. There’s only one idea running inside their minds.

Arvin dropped his body to his chair and sighed deeply. He’s massaging his eyes while thinking deeply.

Cj didn’t budge on his seat but his eyes went to his uncle. He wants to thank him but now isn’t the right time.

Looks like Carl received the meaning of those eyes since he nodded to him as if he’s telling him that he did a great job.

“Christian James Queign Lee’s removal at Lee University is declined,” Arvin spoke after his long silence. “I leave the rest to you and the other kids.”

The suffocating air has finally lifted. Since he went inside the meeting room, he felt nothing but heavy feelings. But now? He’s relieved.

He did win against them.

“You can trust me on that, dad,” he said with a tone of assurance. “I will bring her back as I said.”

He left his seat and started to walk away. He’s the first one to leave the meeting room followed by his cousins. He even heard random claps which he believes are from Kristine and Andrea.

It’s like they won a case and they just left the court. They left their parents speechless. They’re defeated. They have never seen such a satisfying event in their lives not until now.

But of course, there’s one guy who hates their victory.

“I thought my days in that university are finally over!” Sean complained. “Do I still have to study there? I can help in any way! Just not at school! Cj!”

No one gave the slightest attention to his complaints. The four are busy talking to each other about the priceless faces of their parents before they left the room.

Cj is just in front of them. No one could see his wicked smile.

“Why?” he asked before letting Carl leave for good. He stopped at the door and confusedly looked at his nephew. “I lied to you. Why are you still helping me? You should be at their side.”

It’s like a riddle to him. Did Carl really talk to him only to help him? It’s just hard to believe because he’s an elder.

All of the elders from their family are superior. They only see them, the kids as nothing but kids whose opinions don’t matter, whose opinions are unreasonable, inconsiderate, and childish.

They’re strict. They’re like attorneys, judges, and prosecutors all in one.

That’s why receiving help from one of them is just...suspicious.

Was it because Carl is the youngest among the elders? That he could understand him? That he’s not as cold as the others?

“Your father is my cousin. I know when he’s not using his mind properly. I know when he’s scared. Bryan could see it too but he believes that the search is over a couple of years ago. I believed it too not until I saw that you’re still looking for her.

"Cj, I believe in you. I have never seen you being unreasonable. You do things for something and not for nothing. I am desperate too. I want this rebellion to stop. I want us to win and I know your sister can help us to claim that victory—she is Lorenzo's weakness."

Right. All they have to do is bring Lorenzo to their side. If they have successfully done that, the forces might not be stopped but they will be weakened.

Lorenzo is a powerful card for both sides. And the only way to steal that card from the enemies is to use their powerful card as well.

And that is Cheska.

“Stand on your ground, Cj. Fight for your sister and bring her back to our family.”

Poor Sean. Little did he know it was his father who helped him to win against his dad and their parents.

Poor Sean.