Chapter 92: In-Law

The dining table was completely silent.

Raphael glanced between the twins sitting across from him, both possessing nearly identical faces yet carrying entirely different expressions.

Lumi looked troubled, while Celestine seemed to be struggling with a mixture of guilt and exhaustion, and judging by the atmosphere, whatever conversation they had shared upstairs had not exactly ended on a happy note.

"I guess the discussion didn’t end well..." he remarked, breaking the silence.

Neither twin reacted.

Raphael waited for a moment, but when neither of them so much as glanced in his direction, he let out a theatrical sigh.

"Young Master Valen..."

"Just call me Raphael. I’ve reminded you so many times, and it’s getting exhausting." He waved his hand dismissively. "Besides, we’re practically in-laws now, so there’s no need to be so formal."

Both twins finally looked at him, their expressions filled with confusion.

Raphael grinned.

"What? Your sister is my Fated Guide, and ahem, I don’t plan on running away from my responsibility for someone after I’ve already given away my..." He paused dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "Purity."

Celestine stared at him.

Lumi blinked.

Then both twins exchanged a look.

"Raphael," Celestine said, her voice strained with embarrassment, "it was only a mental connection. We didn’t even do anything!"

"Only a mental connection?" Raphael repeated, looking utterly scandalized. "Sweetheart, you entered my mental space, kissed me, and we made—"

Celestine immediately shot to her feet and rushed to his side, clamping a hand over his mouth before he could finish.

Unfortunately, Raphael had already noticed her reaction, and the moment his eyes met her flushed face, he burst into laughter beneath her palm.

"Do you need to go into details?!" Celestine hissed, glaring at him.

Raphael chuckled, gently pulling her hand away from his mouth. "In case you’ve forgotten and are planning to run away from your responsibilities."

"Run away from what responsibilities?!"

"Mine, of course." He gave her a shameless grin. "You can’t just enter a man’s mental space, kiss him senseless, help him regain control, and then pretend nothing happened. That’s simply irresponsible, sweetheart."

"You were the one who was losing control!" Celestine shot back, her cheeks growing even redder. "I was trying to save you!"

"And you did." Raphael nodded solemnly, though the amusement in his eyes ruined any chance of him looking serious. "Which is why I have decided to dedicate the rest of my life to repaying your kindness."

Celestine stared at him in disbelief.

Across the table, Lumi lowered her head toward her plate, a small smile curling at the corners of her lips as she tried to hide her amusement. She had never seen anyone deal with Celestine quite like this before, and perhaps Raphael’s shamelessness was exactly what her sister needed to loosen up a little.

"You know you need to deal with my parents first, right?" Celestine said as she returned to her seat. "They might be furious at this moment..."

Her voice gradually lowered as she thought about the situation at the Pei residence, especially after both sisters had disappeared under such suspicious circumstances.

Their parents would undoubtedly be searching for them by now, and given Felix’s temper, she could already imagine the accusations waiting for them.

Worse, if he suspected that Celestine had deliberately helped Lumi escape, he might begin questioning everything she had done over the past few years.

Raphael’s playful smile softened slightly as he noticed the change in her expression.

"Let them be furious," he replied casually, picking up his utensils again. "It’s not as though they can drag you back by the hair while I’m sitting right here."

"Raphael, I’m serious."

"So am I." He glanced at her, his expression still relaxed, but his voice carried a firmness that hadn’t been there moments earlier. "Your parents can be angry all they want, but they don’t get to decide everything for you."

Celestine fell quiet.

Raphael then turned his attention toward Lumi, who had stopped smiling and was staring at the food on her plate.

"And that includes you, ugly duckling."

Lumi lifted her head.

"Since that loser Number One has decided to keep sleeping in his little dream world, I suppose I’ll have to take care of you for the time being." Raphael leaned back in his chair, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "As for my reward, I’ll claim it later."

Lumi’s fork loosened in her fingers.

She had been meaning to ask about Evan ever since she woke up in this unfamiliar room, but with everything Celestine had told her, the question had remained trapped in her throat. Now that Raphael had mentioned him so casually, she could no longer pretend she wasn’t worried.

"R-Raphael..."

He glanced at her. "Hmm?"

"Evan..." Lumi hesitated, her fingers tightening around the fork again. "Has he woken up yet?"

The teasing smile on Raphael’s face faded slightly.

"No."

Lumi’s heart sank.

She lowered her eyes to her plate, suddenly finding it difficult to swallow. She had left Evan lying unconscious in the hospital, his condition still uncertain, and now she couldn’t even be there to see whether he was getting better.

"Is he still in critical condition?" she asked softly.

"His condition has stabilized, but he hasn’t regained consciousness." Raphael paused before adding, "The doctors are keeping a close watch on him. They’re doing everything they can."

Lumi nodded, but the answer did little to ease the tightness in her chest. "Can I see him?"

"Not right now."

Her shoulders slumped.

Raphael noticed the change in her expression and sighed, resting his elbow on the table.

"Don’t look at me like that, ugly duckling. I’m not keeping you away from him for fun. Your parents are already suspicious, and Evan’s family isn’t exactly welcoming toward you either."

Lumi’s fingers tightened around her fork.

She knew he was right. Sloane had slapped her and blamed her for Evan’s condition, even going so far as to demand that she leave him once he recovered. The memory still stung, especially because Lumi had once believed Evan’s mother cared about her.

"But Evan..." she murmured. "He needs me, doesn’t he?"

Raphael’s expression turned thoughtful.

"That’s something you’ll have to ask him when he wakes up." He paused, watching her carefully. "But if you’re asking whether your presence makes a difference to his condition, then yes. From what I’ve heard, his energy circulation stabilized whenever you were near him."

Lumi looked up at once. "Really?"

"Really. The doctors noticed it too, which is probably why they wanted you to stay." Raphael tilted his head before glancing toward Celestine. "Unfortunately, not everyone is happy about that discovery."

He paused, then lowered his voice. "Especially my father..."

The silence fell over the dining table once again.

Lumi hadn’t expected Raphael to bring up his father, but his change in expression reminded her that the conflict between the Caesar and Pei families was far more complicated than she had initially imagined, with their personal relationships, family interests, and the struggle for power all tangled together in ways she barely understood.

After a moment, Raphael leaned back in his chair and waved a hand dismissively, as though he didn’t want to dwell on the subject.

"I’ll find a way to slip you into the hospital later, but for now, stay here. This is my private residence, and no one comes here without my permission." He flashed her a reassuring smile. "So you can relax, ugly duckling. You’re safe here."

However, the moment those words left his mouth, the doorbell suddenly rang frantically.

Raphael’s smile vanished.

He stared toward the door, his expression darkening as the ringing continued without the slightest intention of stopping.

"Don’t tell me..." He frowned, clicking his tongue in irritation. "That damn Number Three is actually smarter than I gave him credit for!"