In an ornate room lit with a warm, golden glow, three people sat on a sofa…. Well, to be precise two only…
“H-haha… S-She’s really attached to you, sir,” Velc stammered awkwardly, his face a mix of disbelief and strained politeness.
His gaze was fixed on his daughter, Selene, who was perched on Victor’s lap as though it were her rightful throne.
Victor’s lips twitched into an amused smile as he glanced down at Selene. She sat snugly on his lap, her hands gently gripping his shoulders, her body perfectly relaxed against his. Her eyes sparkled with unrestrained adoration, gazing at him as if he were a rare and priceless treasure.
Her eyes practically sparkled like a child that found a lollipop.
Her thoughts, however, were far less innocent.
‘Oh my god, oh my god!! He’s so handsome… My hubby is sooo damn fucking hot~ Hahaha! That jawline… Ugh, He is sexy~ and those muscles under his clothes—what a tease! Only I know what he’s hiding under there. Ha~ I want to lick every inch of his body… Hehehe… My husband is fucking handsome.. Hehehe… HAHAHAHAH’ Her mind was anything but calm.
Victor, fully aware of her unfiltered thoughts, chose to let them slide. He didn’t mind being the centre of her attention, especially when it came with such unrestrained adoration.
After all, who wouldn’t enjoy their lover or wife staring at them with such awe and lewd fantasies?
“Anyway…” Victor finally broke the silence as his gaze shifted to Velc. The man immediately straightened as if anticipating an impending judgment. “I assume my darling here has already explained why I’ve come?”
Velc nodded rapidly, his neck jerking like a nervous bird’s. His grin stretched so wide it seemed like his face might split, “O-Of course, sir…” He cast a quick glance at Alfred, who stood nearby, his expression clouded with some unspoken thought.
“Alfred?”
Alfred jolted slightly before bowing deeply, recovering his composure. Stepping forward, he presented a silver tray bearing an ornately designed card.
Victor frowned slightly as he reached for the card…. It was a wedding invitation.
Victor was surprised.. no, shocked!
Velc, clearly on edge, began speaking quickly, his voice tinged with anxiety. “I-It’s crafted with the finest gold-lined borders, sir, and the card itself is made from the rarest, most exquisite wood. We spared no expense. I-I trust it’s to your liking?”
Victor blinked, momentarily caught off guard. His thoughts flicked telepathically to Selene.
/What exactly did you tell him about my visit, Selene?/
Selene, clearly oblivious to the tension, cheerfully replied, /I just told him you were coming to play around! Hmph!/
/No, no… Tell me exactly how you said it./
Selene tilted her head thoughtfully, her expression serious as she mimicked her earlier words. /I told him, “You better be prepared because my hubby is coming!! Hmph!!”/ She even tried to deepen her voice, attempting to sound authoritative, though it came across as unintentionally comedic.
Victor resisted the overwhelming urge to facepalm. Instead, he sighed and glanced at Selene, who was still staring at him with unrelenting admiration.
Velc, misinterpreting Victor’s silence, began to sweat nervously, gulping as though trying to wet his suddenly dry throat. “W-Was the design not to your taste, sir?”
Victor sighed lightly before turning to Selene. “Sel, why don’t you take a look at what your father has prepared for you?”
Selene’s brows furrowed slightly as her gaze reluctantly tore itself away from Victor’s face. “What did he prepare?” she muttered, her tone a mix of curiosity and reluctance. Her eyes fell on the wedding invitation, and her initial confusion quickly gave way to surprise.
“What the… Oh? Ohhhh…” Her face transformed as a mischievous grin slowly spread across her lips.
“Hehehe…” She chuckled softly, holding the invitation with a newfound possessiveness. Then, with a smug tilt of her head, she declared, “I’ll let you live for this!”
Velc exhaled a deep sigh of relief, visibly relaxing. “Thank goodn—Wait, what?!” His head snapped up as her words sank in. His face twisted into confusion and mild panic. ‘Wait, was she actually ready to kill me if I hadn’t prepared this? Is she even my daughter anymore?!’ Velc screamed inwardly.
Meanwhile, Alfred’s gaze remained locked on Victor, his expression thoughtful and strangely intense. There was something hauntingly familiar about the young man, but no matter how hard Alfred tried, he couldn’t quite place what it was.
Suddenly, Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire
Knock, Knock.
“Enter”
The door creaked open, and Kai strode in with a scowl that darkened his sharp features. His eyes immediately landed on Selene, still sitting snugly on Victor’s lap. His fists clenched at the sight, and for a brief moment, it seemed like he might explode in anger. However, the memory of his previous humiliating defeat lingered like a ghost, forcing him to swallow his pride.
He silently took a seat beside his father.
Velc’s demeanour turned solemn as he straightened in his chair, “S-Sir… We know that our first encounter was… far from ideal. There were misunderstandings, missteps, and mistakes. But we sincerely wish to move forward, to rebuild our relationship without lingering grievances. Please, forgive us, especially for forcing my daughter’s hand in the past without her consent.” As he spoke, Velc bowed deeply, his head nearly touching the table.
He glanced at his son and nudged him sharply. “You too.”
Kai clenched his teeth, his jaw tightening as he begrudgingly bowed his head. The humiliation of bowing to Victor, a man he considered insignificant, was almost too much to bear.
A chosen one bowing to nobody… what the hell was that!!
‘Just wait,’ Kai seethed inwardly, his mind burning with fury, ‘Wait until I ascend to Sovereign. I’ll make him pay for this humiliation a thousand times over.’
‘Wait! Until I become sovereign!’ Kai thought as he gritted his teeth, he would surely give the humiliation 1000s times to Victor.
Victor could practically taste the burning hatred radiating from Kai, his fiery glare unmistakable. The boy’s anger was almost palpable, and it only amused Victor further.
Victor didn’t need to guess what was going through his mind. If Victor had been a nobody, he would’ve been the one forced to bow, crawling for Selene’s hand. That’s just how this world worked—brutal, unfair, and twisted.
Money and power didn’t just open doors; they rewrote the rules.
Even when you were in the wrong, wealth and influence forced others to seek your forgiveness. The strong crushed the weak underfoot, and the weak smiled while licking their wounds.
It was a cruel reality, one Victor had faced and Learned a lot!
Still, this situation was beginning to feel a little more precarious than usual.
If word of this invitation leaked, he’d be in for a storm of trouble.
Marisandra, for instance, still didn’t know about the kiss he’d shared with Selene in front of everyone. Celestia had gone above and beyond to ensure that news never reached her ears—or anyone else’s, for that matter.
And Delphine? She remained blissfully unaware as well, thanks to Celestia’s clever manoeuvring, turning what could’ve been explosive into harmless rumours…. Delphine would not believe in rumours!
Victor smiled faintly to himself. Celestia deserved a reward—maybe several. She’d more than earned it.
But this invitation was a different kind of risk. If it circulated beyond this room, his carefully balanced act could come crashing down.
Victor sighed inwardly, ‘Damn, I’d love to marry them all openly, without secrets or games, but that’s a pipe dream for now…’ He still hadn’t secured the other five women on his list(Yet to appear), and he had no idea what kind of chaos (Yandere) they’d bring into the equation.
Clearing his throat, Victor spoke in his usual calm, commanding tone. “I’m not angry with you. You can raise your heads.”
Both Velc and Kai lifted their heads, but their reactions couldn’t have been more different. Velc sighed in visible relief, his face almost melting with gratitude, while Kai snorted derisively, looking away with barely concealed disdain.
“Thank goodness, sir! I was so worried you’d hate us too muc—”
Victor interrupted smoothly, leaning forward just enough to make his presence overwhelming. “However… have you received everyone’s acceptance for this wedding?”
Victor still had his cards.
Velc froze, his lips quivering slightly as he stammered, “W-Well… we don’t know where her mother is currently, so…”
Victor ignored Velc entirely, turning instead to Selene, who was perched comfortably on his lap. “Darling, do you want your mother to attend your wedding?” he asked, his voice softer, laced with affection.
Selene’s face lit up with earnest enthusiasm, her head nodding so quickly it was a wonder her neck didn’t snap, “Of course! There’s no way I’d marry you without Mom there! She’s the one I love the most—well, second to my darling~!” she added, giggling with childlike glee.
Victor grinned, thoroughly satisfied. ‘If her mother heard that, she’d probably faint and turn into ash,’ he thought with amusement.
Leaning back with an air of casual dominance, Victor declared, “See? Until her mother is found, the wedding is postponed.” He pushed the gold-embellished invitation card back toward Velc.
Velc’s lips pressed into a thin line, his frustration barely masked. He understood the reasoning, but a delay meant danger. Who knew what might happen in the meantime? What if some rival appeared out of nowhere and snatched Victor away? Velc couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
“W-Why don’t you speak with my father?” Velc suggested hesitantly, his desperation evident.
Victor’s grin widened, his sharp teeth peeking through as he leaned forward slightly, “Really?”