CHAPTER EIGHT: WHY ARE YOU HERE BROTHER DEAREST?

Amelia rushed to gather the necessary files for the presentation, which had already started five seconds ago. If it weren't for her lucrative monthly salary of half a million dollars, she would have quit her job long ago. Her boss treated her like a slave, which was why she was counting down the days until she could afford to take a year-long vacation. She dreamed of spending time in Napa Valley or Tuscany with her family. It seemed like a crazy plan, but losing seven million dollars every year for the rest of her life was an even crazier prospect.

As Amelia approached the large conference room, she almost lost her footing when she spotted her boss sitting on her "mini throne" - a term Amelia used privately to describe her boss's favorite seat. To her surprise, the room suddenly filled with people of diverse backgrounds, all taking their seats in unison like well-programmed robots. Amelia's heart skipped a beat; she had not seen them enter. With a sense of trepidation, she handed over the files she had prepared to the chairman, Castiel, who nodded curtly and dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

As soon as Amelia departed, Castiel exhaled a sigh of relief and turned to face her board members - or rather, her Reapers. Her relationship with these individuals was vastly different from that of other CEOs and their boards. She had created them, and they were like her children. Just as Lucifer commanded his army of demons and shadows, Castiel had her Ravens and Reapers. She held the final say in their actions, yet she didn't exert control like Samael. Instead, she had granted them free will, allowing them to make their own choices. Each of these men and women had been appointed by her centuries or millennia ago, and each led an army of Ravens. This was why, for the first time since Amelia Gianluigi joined her employ, Castiel had dismissed her from the meeting.

"Tsang, what's your report?" Castiel asked, her eyes fixed on the Asian Reaper.

"In Thailand, we encountered thirty-six demons feeding on souls. We successfully sent them back to Hell," Tsang replied.

Castiel's brows arched in concern. "Casualties?"

Tsang's expression turned grim. "Over a hundred, Castiel. However, they were all criminals."

Castiel's lips curled in anger. "Lucky bastards."

Her gaze shifted to Ada, the Nigerian Reaper. "Ada, what's your assessment?"

Ada bowed her head, her voice laced with concern. "Demons are becoming a significant problem, Castiel. With the rising crime rate, I'm doing my best, but we're facing over ten thousand demons. They're primarily summoned by organ harvesters and corrupt politicians, fueling terrorism."

Castiel's expression turned grave, her mind racing with the implications.

"What do you need, Ada?" Castiel asked, her eyes locked on the Nigerian Reaper.

"I need more Ravens, a thousand more to be precise," Ada replied, her voice firm.

Castiel nodded curtly. "Okay." She repeated this process, listening to each Elite Reaper's report on their respective zones.

Just as she finished, Amelia poked her head through the door, a look of discomfort on her face. "Excuse me, boss, but there's a brown-haired, blue-eyed guy claiming to be your brother. He's causing a disturbance and disrupting the work environment."

Castiel's expression turned intrigued, her mind racing with the unexpected development.

"Tell him to wait in my office," Castiel instructed Amelia, her eyes still fixed on her assistant. "I'll be with him shortly." She paused, her mind still racing with the possibilities. "And, Amelia?" She added, her voice low and deliberate. "Discretion is key. Let's keep this...family reunion private."

Castiel couldn't help but wonder when her assistant had returned and how much of the conversation she might have overheard. The confidentiality of their meetings was paramount, and Castiel's mind raced with the implications of Amelia's potential exposure to their secrets.

—_—

Castiel's eyes narrowed as she gazed upon the fool lounging on her grey couch, munching on popcorn like a starved animal. The audacity! He was watching a telenovela on her TV, the volume blasting, tears streaming down his face at the melodramatic scene. Castiel's anger simmered, her mind reeling with the fact that this very being was the reason she had banned supernaturals from her city. As if sensing her ire, the moron paused, popcorn still in mouth, and grinned, jumping up to envelop her in a hug. "Hey, lil' sis, what's up?" he said, his mouth still full. Castiel rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Why are you here, brother dearest?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm, her gaze fixed on the Peter Pan-like figure before her.

"Chill, girl, I came to see you, babe," Rafael said, his grin widening as he shoveled more popcorn into his mouth. "Can't a brother visit his little sister no more? I missed you, honey, and I know you missed this face." He pointed to his face, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Castiel's expression remained unyielding. "Nope, I didn't."

Rafael chuckled. "Ouch, still colder than Sammy!" He joked, but his sister's frown deepened, her eyes flashing with a hint of murder.

"Hey, can't you take a joke, Cazzie? Relax, babe," Rafael said, but Castiel was unfazed.

With a swift motion, she lifted him off the ground with her left hand, her eyes boring into his. "I'll ask you one more time, Rafael: why are you here?" Her voice was low and even, but the underlying threat was palpable.

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