Archie stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock, unable to find the words to defend himself. The courage that had driven him to slap Rosie now wavered in the face of Louis's intense gaze.
"Do you really believe that sneaking in here and attempting to take my sister while stationing your friends outside under the guise of security would give you the upper hand?" Louis's voice dripped with sarcasm as he smirked at Archie's bewildered expression.
Rosie, her face a mix of relief and joy, pushed Archie aside and ran into her brother's protective embrace. Louis enveloped her in a reassuring hug, his hand patting her back. However, as he looked at Rosie's face, his eyes fell upon the red mark left by Archie's slap. His anger flared, his eyes burning with intense hatred.
