Shadow's Embrace

Chapter 23

The weight of Renzo’s coma had crushed Xian’s spirit, dragging him deeper into guilt and despair. Xuan could see the toll it was taking on her younger brother—his once gentle smile now replaced by haunted eyes, his movements heavy with exhaustion. It wasn’t just Renzo’s condition; Xian was fighting a battle on all fronts. The fear of losing the children, the complexity of his feelings for Rafael, and the creeping self-blame were eating him alive. And Xuan had had enough. She refused to watch her brother fall apart again, not when she still had the strength to protect him.

The night air was cool and still as Xuan climbed the narrow stairs leading to the rooftop. Rafael stood at the edge, his silhouette illuminated by the faint city lights in the distance. He was as composed as ever, the image of control and power. But Xuan knew his type. Control wasn't the same as love, and power wasn't protection. If Rafael truly wanted to stay in Xian’s life, he needed to understand that. Now.

“Rafael.” Xuan’s voice cut through the quiet, sharp and direct.

He turned slowly, his gaze falling on her with mild curiosity. His expression was unreadable, cold as ever. “What is it, Xuan?” he asked, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice, as if her presence on the rooftop was nothing more than an amusing distraction.

But Xuan wasn’t here to play games. She crossed her arms, stepping forward without hesitation. “We need to talk. About Xian.”

Rafael raised an eyebrow. “What about him?”

Her jaw tightened. “You can’t keep doing this to him. You say you care about him, but all I see is someone tearing him apart.”

Rafael’s face remained impassive, though his eyes narrowed slightly. “I’ve kept him safe. I’ve given him everything.”

“No, you’ve given him control disguised as love.” Xuan’s voice was sharp with frustration. “Xian is my brother, Rafael. I know him better than anyone. And right now, you’re not protecting him—you’re suffocating him.”

For a moment, the two locked eyes, the tension thick between them. Rafael, so used to being in command, wasn’t accustomed to being confronted—especially not by someone as direct as Xuan.

“You think I don’t care about him?” Rafael said quietly, his voice low and dangerous.

“I think you don’t understand what caring really means,” Xuan shot back. “Xian isn’t some possession you can control. He’s a man—one who’s been through hell and deserves better. If you want to be in his life, you need to give him space to breathe. Let him choose you, Rafael. Not because he’s scared, but because he wants to.”

Rafael’s jaw clenched, the faintest crack forming in his cold exterior. “I’ve kept him safe from people like Sean and Hanji. Without me—”

“Without you, Xian would still survive,” Xuan interrupted, her voice firm but laced with empathy. “He’s stronger than you think. But survival isn’t enough, Rafael. He deserves to live, to be happy.”

The words hung between them, heavy and raw. For the first time, Rafael didn’t have a quick response. His mind, so used to calculating moves and predicting outcomes, stumbled.

“You say you care about him,” Xuan continued, her tone softening slightly. “Then prove it. Stop trying to control him. Stop treating love like it’s a game you need to win.”

Rafael stared at her, his expression unreadable, but something in his eyes shifted—just the slightest flicker of doubt, maybe even guilt. He had always been a man who took what he wanted without question. But Xian… Xian had become something more than just a desire. And now, for the first time, Rafael wondered if holding on too tightly would mean losing him altogether.

“I won’t let him go,” Rafael murmured, though the words carried more uncertainty than conviction.

“Then change,” Xuan said firmly, her gaze unwavering. “Because if you don’t, you’ll lose him anyway. And when that happens, no amount of power will bring him back.”

The silence between them stretched, and Rafael looked away, as if the weight of her words was too heavy to meet head-on.

Xuan took a step back, her heart pounding but her voice steady. “Don’t make me regret trusting you,” she warned, her protective instincts still sharp.

With that, she turned and left Rafael alone on the rooftop. As she descended the stairs, her chest tightened with a mixture of hope and fear. She had given Rafael the truth—now it was up to him to decide what to do with it.

Rafael remained on the rooftop, staring into the distance as the city lights flickered below. For the first time in years, he wasn’t planning his next move or calculating risks.

Instead, he found himself thinking about Xian—not as a prize to be won, but as someone he couldn’t afford to lose. If keeping Xian in his life meant changing, then maybe, just maybe, Rafael could try.

Because for the first time, love didn’t feel like control. It felt like a chance—one Rafael wasn’t willing to let slip away.