Beneath the Surface: Secrets of an Obsessed Heart-Chapter 157 - 156

“Mr. Yamato! Over here!”

“Mr Yamato, did you bring a date for tonight?!”

“Yamato-sama, can you comment on the rumors...”

Unfazed, Raiden stood tall and composed, ignoring the flashes and chaos for he was already used to them. He adjusted his sleek black suit, the custom-made fabric hugging his powerful frame perfectly—obsidian silk with subtle silver pinstripes, and a black tie tucked neatly beneath a sharp collar.

Then he bent a little and held out his hand.

The moment the reporters saw the gesture, it was as though electricity surged through them. Their excitement surged to a frenzy, voices rising with desperate curiosity as they asked questions with more vigour. They were already surprised that Raiden was going to attend his parent’s anniversary as he rarely did in the past and this time, he brought a date and they wondered who it was.

Yamato Raiden’s love life was an enigma. The man had barely been seen with anyone and it made the reporters greedy for gossip. Whenever they caught him with someone they thought could be a potential partner, they were always stopped from publicising it. Sure Yamato Raiden was powerful but did he have the power to control the narrative of so many media companies in Tokyo? They felt it was impossible.

This time, they were determined. They must publish something about his love life!

Inside the car, Hiro hesitated.

The last time he’d faced paparazzi was after his parents were sent to jail and Sora had shielded him from the flashing lights, pushing cameras aside and barking at reporters. Hiro remembered how dizzy the flashes had made him feel—how small and vulnerable he’d been and now that he was here, in somewhat the same situation, that memory threatened to rise again.

Raiden, of course, knew what was going on in Hiro’s mind. How could he not? He was still in Juvy when it happened but he had watched it on TV. At that time, he had mixed emotions. He was both happy and sad. Happy that Hiro was going through a similar situation he went through when the court sentenced him to juvy and sad that he wasn’t there to help him through it.

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Hiro’s cheek. “I’m here, baby,” he assured. “Don’t forget that.”

Hiro looked up at Raiden and that dazzling smile, so filled with pride, a surprising calmness and absolute certainty. It melted the fear clawing at his chest and he smiled back, fingers trembling only slightly as he reached out and took Raiden’s hand.

Raiden helped him out with the utmost grace and the crowd of reporters went silent for some seconds before bursting into more chaos than before. They screamed their questions and aggressively aimed their cameras at Hiro, nearly blinding him with their flashes but Raiden shielded him with his body. He regretted that he hadn’t come with bodyguards.

At that moment, a reporter stepped too far forward, thrusting her microphone into Hiro’s path, panting heavily as she asked Hiro a string of questions that made his head spin. She moved forward even more, as if she wanted to push the microphone into Hiro’s face but Raiden instantly slapped the microphone from her hand, making it fall the ground with a loud thud.

She turned to him, angry and looking ready to attack but the look she received made her instantly freeze.

Raiden’s glare was sharp and so cold that even hell could freeze over. He took a solid step forward and the effect was instant.

The reporter’s mouth slightly parted in shock and the colour drained from her face as she stumbled backwards, falling on her butt.

Like a ripple effect, the entire crowd of reporters fell still. No one moved and not a single soul dared to speak. The flash of cameras ceased, swallowed by the pressure of Raiden’s presence.

The only sound that remained was the gentle bubbling of the mermaid fountain.

Raiden gave the woman one last look, a mix between warning and disgust then turned back to Hiro, his expression softening immediately. Even the rage in his eyes disappeared, as if he wasn’t the one who had just scared a reporter to death. He tightened his grip around Hiro’s waist, leading him towards the stairwell of the huge mansion.

“Are you okay?” he asked, gently squeezing Hiro’s waist. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Hiro nodded, awestruck. “Y-Yeah...how did you do that?” He wondered how Raiden could silence a crowd like that with one look. Raiden was so cool. He used to think his brother was the coolest person ever but Raiden beat him a thousand times.

Raiden smiled smugly, turning to look at Hiro and he froze for half a second. His heart started racing as he took in the admiration shimmering in Hiro’s pretty champagne-colored eyes. Those beautiful glittering orbs were just full of pure, unfiltered wonder and amazement. Like he was looking at a hero.

That look—those eyes—pierced straight through his carefully composed exterior and set him ablaze. The corners of his mouth twitched, and for a moment, he actually forgot how to breathe. Heat crept up the back of his neck and settled at the tips of his ears, flushing them a soft red. Thankfully, his thick dark hair swept over just enough to shield the colour from view.

He glanced away briefly, collecting himself. “...I don’t know either,” he finally said, voice soft and low, dipping down like velvet as he leaned in and kissed the tip of Hiro’s nose. “All I know is—I won’t ever let anyone hurt you.”

The butterflies in Hiro’s stomach burst into a frenzy, their wings flipping and fluttering with enough force to make him feel faint. His knees went a little wobbly and pink rushed to his cheeks. He instinctively leaned into Raiden’s side, threading their arms together with a shy smile.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you either. Especially your evil stepmother.” he said softly. “Let’s protect each other, Raiden.”

Raiden stared at him for a beat, completely smitten. He chuckled, low and warm, his chest vibrating against Hiro’s shoulder. His baby was just too adorable. The fierce determination in that soft voice melted him entirely.

He wasn’t scared of his stepmother. Hadn’t been in years. But the way Hiro was looking at him, like he needed protecting too... made him want to lean into that. Just for tonight.

“Deal,” Raiden said, giving Hiro’s waist a little squeeze and flashing him a wink.

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