"πΌπ πͺ πππππ©πͺ π©πͺπ‘πͺπ¨ π’ππ£πππ£π©πππ’πͺ πππ£ ππ₯ππ ππ ππ£π πππ‘ππ¨ππ£ ππ©ππ¨ π ππ©πͺπ‘πͺπ¨ππ£π πͺ? "
β’ββββ’β’β¦ β‘ β¦β’β’ββββ’
"Chill out, Bro! I'm trying to get up too, geez!" Maxssyan called out. The young man finally managed to stand, then casually brushed imaginary dust from his expensive shirt.
Maxsyn, still sprawled on the floor like a fallen lizard, looked up with a bright red face. "Ouch, do you even have any decency? Instead of helping me up, you're busy showing off to the dust. Do you think I'm a rug?"
"I helped clean the dust off you through the air route," Maxssyan replied flatly, almost innocent-looking.
"Youβ! Do you think I'm some kind of bug, huh?!" Maxsyn leaped to his feet, puffing out his chest ready to explode.
"Well, duh. Just realized that?"
"Let's fight, come here!"
Before the brawl between these mismatched twin brothers could begin, a hand came down hard on each of their ears.
"OWWW! Mom, it hurts!" they both yelled in unison as their ears were twisted a full 180 degrees.
"Can't you two just be quiet?! My ears might burst if I keep hearing you argue. This is what makes me get wrinkles early and keeps my blood pressure high!" Vanessa Cristin Williams ranted in her signature casual style, ignoring the fact that she was the lady of the mansion.
"Mom... watch your language," a deep, cold voice chided.
Vanessa immediately turned to find her husband, Roky James Williams, staring sharply at her. She could only grin widely, showing off her perfect white teeth as she released her grip.
"WAAAAH! MOMMY!"
The loud cry shattered the comedic mood at the door once more.
Thump.
"Oh no! My baby girl!" Vanessa slapped her forehead. How could they get caught up bickering at the door while their precious "Diamond" was terrified?
They all flooded into the room. Vanessa rushed straight to the bed, gathering little nine-year-old Vianca Siska Berlin into her arms. The girl was still trembling violentlyβtraces of the previous night's trauma clearly visible in her teary eyes.
"Hey, sweetheart... don't cry. Mommy's here, okay? Everything's safe now," Vanessa whispered gently, her fingers combing through Via's long hair with all the love she had.
"Mommy... Waaaa!" Via sobbed harder, burying her face in the crook of Vanessa's neck.
"What happened, my love? Shhh... it's alright, Via's safe now."
"Hic... I was scared, Mommy. It was so dark... so dark," Via wept, her grip tightening as if letting go would send her back to that lonely roadside.
Vanessa's heart ached. Seeing her beloved niece like this broke down all her defenses. "I know, honey. It's okay... Don't cry anymoreβif Via cries, Mommy will start crying too, hic..." And sure enough, Vanessa began sniffling along, mourning the little girl's ordeal.
James, usually as cold as an iceberg, couldn't bear to see the two women he loved in pieces. He stepped forward, pulling both of them into his broad, solid chest.
"Alright... no more crying," James murmured softly. It was all he could sayβhis words were few, but his embrace was a promise that he would never let anyone harm Via again.
In the corner of the room, Maxsyn and Maxssyanβthe 20-year-old twins who'd nearly come to blows moments beforeβfell silent. They could only watch the scene with faint smiles full of protectiveness. To them, anyone who made Via cry was digging their own grave.
But in the middle of this heartfelt moment, a heavy cough sounded from the doorway.
"Ahem... You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"
Every head turned in unison. There stood the family patriarchβa man whose sternness surpassed even James's. Abraham Nickol Williams stepped inside with an aura of authority that had Maxsyn and Maxssyan automatically straightening their backs.