Selene stepped forward with a stony, ice-cold expression, each footfall turning the floor beneath her to pristine ice…. as though she were laying down her own frigid carpet. The sheer aura of her presence made the crowd instinctively step back, eyes wide with awe and trepidation.
Her icy blue gaze scanned the room, sharp and unyielding, landing first on Velc, who was coughing as Kai supported him. Her expression didn’t soften in the slightest, even as her gaze drifted to Leon. He managed a welcoming smile, but her stony expression only hardened further, causing his smile to falter into a frown.
But the moment her eyes found Victor, the cold facade softened. Her lips curved just slightly, like frost melting in the first rays of dawn—a smile subtle but enough to capture the attention and heart of nearly every man and… even a few women present.
“Did you call me?” she asked Victor, her tone casual but with a hint of intrigue as she took her place at his side.
Victor’s gaze warmed, his expression gentle—a look that had never graced his features before… Many women, including Vesperine, felt their hearts break at the sight, realizing they could only hope for such tenderness. Reaching out, Victor brushed a lock of Selene’s hair behind her ear. “You look stunning,” he murmured, his words soft yet filled with deep admiration.
Selene’s eyes sparkled, her expression slipping into one of dangerous affection. A blush crept onto her cheeks as she lowered her gaze, looking almost like a girl caught in the throes of a reckless, consuming love.
The tender exchange sent murmurs rippling through the crowd. For the first time, everyone saw the truth: her heart clearly belonged to Victor. Gasps echoed, and whispers buzzed around the hall as guests speculated on whether the bride was here by choice or if she’d been forced.
A vein bulged on Velc’s forehead, his expression one of outrage, “W-What do you think you’re doing, Selene? Letting another man touch you, publicly, before you’re even fin—”
Her gaze turned icy as she cut him off, “Only one man has the right to touch me,” she declared, her tone unwavering as she fixed him with a piercing stare. “And he’s standing right here…. Father.”
Aqualina, sipping tea nearby, raised an eyebrow at the unfolding scene, her surprise barely concealed. ‘I thought she was in love with Aether… Did I misread the whole situation?’ she mused, frowning as she processed the unexpected turn, ‘Oh! Well, lower the bitches, the better for me’ she thought.
Leon’s face contorted, his expression darkening as realization dawned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Beside him, Kai’s shock quickly turned to fury, his voice rising angrily as he shouted, “I will never allow that filth to marry my sister!”
The weight of Kai’s hatred was palpable, his animosity toward Victor stirred up again. After everything Victor had done to him—wounding his pride and his body—there was no way he would stand by and let this happen, especially not after how he had humiliated his friend!!
Selene released a long sigh, “Kai, did I ask for your permission?”
Kai’s breath hitched. For the first time, she hadn’t addressed him as “Brother” or “Big Brother.” The cold way she said his name made his blood run cold.
“Selene? Have you lost your mind?” he snapped, disbelief mixing with outrage, “How dare you call me by—”
“Mr. Kai Frostblade.” Her voice was emotionless, each word landing with a weight that silenced him. She held his gaze, her expression one of profound disappointment,
“You are not the one to advise me on whom I should respect, let alone marry.
You betrayed Lia simply because she didn’t meet your standard of talent; from that moment, you lost half of my respect.
And now you think it’s acceptable to play with some women behind Aqualina’s back, the woman who’s supposed to be your fiancée?” Her eyes drifted to Vesperine, who shrank behind Kai, trembling. “You don’t deserve to advise me, nor my respect. So… get the fuck out!”
Selene’s words left her feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest.
She had been carrying the burden of her brother’s misdeeds, as much as she wanted to support her brother but what he did was something terrible but he never realized what he did was wrong or right…. he continued hurting those around him, acting as if nothing was amiss.
That was not right and yet he was hoping to be right and everything turned out in way he wanted!
Kai stared at her, stunned, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to muster a response. Her words had hit harder than he’d ever expected. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Aqualina’s pitying gaze, and his hands clenched into fists.
Leon, however, could contain his rage no longer. “Guards!” he bellowed, his face flushed with fury. “Arrest them both! Throw them in the underground cells!” His voice shook with outrage, his face a storm of hatred.
Velc, horrified, took a step forward, his hands raised in a desperate plea, “N-No, please, Your Highness! Have mercy. She’s just… rebellious. She’s not herself right now. If I could just speak to her—”
“Hey.” A low, chilling voice reverberated through the hall, making everyone freeze. Victor was advancing toward Leon, an eerie calm in his expression.
What about guards?
The guards moved to block his path, but they couldn’t even lift their weapons. A suffocating pressure weighed them down, forcing them to their knees, their heads bowed in submission.
“What are you standing there for?!” Leon’s face contorted with both fear and anger. He shouted desperately, “C-Capture him! Now!”
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Even the dukes and high-ranking royals in the room found themselves unable to move, helpless against the oppressive aura radiating from Victor.
“W-Who is he?” a guest murmured, their voice trembling.
“What power level could he possibly be?” another whispered, eyes wide with fear.
“Someone call the Dragon Emperor! We can’t stop him!”
The whispers grew frantic, yet not a single soul dared step forward. All eyes remained fixed on Victor as he reached Leon, his calmness in stark contrast to Leon’s visible panic.
Leon’s hand instinctively covered his crotch, his confidence and bravado visibly shrinking before the overwhelming force of Victor’s…. presence!
Victor couldn’t help but smirk, his eyes gleaming with mischief, “Seems like your body hasn’t quite forgotten me, hmm?” he taunted, grinning as Leon stiffened. Leon’s frown deepened as he glanced down, realizing his hand was instinctively covering his crotch, a reflex he hadn’t even noticed.
Victor gave a small shake of his head, “Anyway… listen closely, lizard,” he declared, his voice reverberating through the hall with an intensity that made the very walls seem to shudder. “I don’t give a damn who you think you are, or what legacy your family boasts. She—” he gestured toward Selene, who strode forward to stand proudly by his side, eyes shining with fierce joy, “—is mine.”
Those words, laced with a possessiveness that matched her own, echoed through the hall, filling Selene’s heart with a molten warmth…. She was drowning in a warm ocean!!
She bit her lip, she really wanted to kiss him ‘Could I?’ she thought, but quickly tempered herself, unwilling to do anything that might disgrace him before everyone!
She needed to act like a Queen that was suitable for her King!!
Leon’s entire body trembled as his lips tightened in rage. Yet before he could muster a retort, Victor’s voice echoed, “What exactly are you going to do, Leon?” Victor mocked, his tone dripping with disdain as he took a slow, deliberate step forward. “Your father will make me pay? Is that it?”
Leon’s face twisted with anger, “Yes, and when he returns, he’ll—”
Victor laughed, cutting him off with a dismissive wave, “Still hiding behind Daddy, are we? Tell me, how can anyone take you seriously as a ruler when you can’t face your own problems?
What, exactly, are the mighty Dragons offering here—a spoiled prince who runs to his father at every turn?” He cast a derisive glance around the room, letting the impact of his words sink in. “Is this what your great lineage has come to?”
The aristocrats shifted uneasily, their faces twisting into expressions of outrage. Some murmured, their voices seething, but when Victor’s cold gaze swept over them, silence fell.
Each glare he received melted into something unsteady, unspoken, as if his words had burrowed into their minds and made them question their own assumptions.
‘Who is he?’ was the silent question etched across their faces, their confusion and fear palpable.
Leon’s eyes burned with rage, and his mouth opened to shout back, but the words stuck in his throat, his own emotions nearly choking him. With an almost tearful expression, he turned sharply on his heel and stormed toward the exit.
Victor’s voice rang out again, pulling him to an abrupt halt, “Oh, don’t think you’re leaving yet,” he called, a dark smirk stretching across his lips. Then, addressing the entire room, he continued,
“Since you all came for a grand engagement celebration, I’d hate to waste the opportunity!” His sly smile sent a ripple of unease through the room as he pulled Selene close, his arm sliding around her slender waist. She giggled softly, her laughter as light and joyful as a child’s, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You may kiss the bride~” she murmured with a smirk, her eyes glittering with mischief.
Victor chuckled, his eyes bright with laughter, “A bit early, isn’t it? That’s usually saved for the wedding, you know.”
Selene’s gaze softened, her voice a tender whisper only he could hear, “With you, every second feels like a new beginning.” And before another word could be said, she leaned forward, capturing his lips in a kiss that was filled with an intensity and hunger that left the guests stunned.
Gasps rippled through the hall—not merely from the sight of Selene kissing him hungrily as if she could not wait… maybe a little! But more importantly,… For the prideful Dragon line, this was a blow unlike any other.