Velc’s throat felt dry as he swallowed hard, his mind struggling to process the situation…. A Divorce paper that he already signed?
What?
“W-What’s this?” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper… He was completely flabbergasted!!
Xara leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk playing on her lips, “Can’t you read?” she asked, her tone dripping with amusement.
Velc’s lips twitched in frustration. Without a second thought, he slammed the divorce papers onto the table, his voice rising with anger, “I never signed this document!! You forged it!!” His hands clenched into fists as he gritted his teeth, his entire body tensed.
Xara’s expression remained blank as she regarded him. “Looks like you’ve forgotten our deal,” she said coolly. Then, without warning, she cracked her fingers.
Before Velc could react—
SLAP!!!
A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the room… The sheer force sent Velc flying backwards, crashing against the wall!
Thud!!
Aether instinctively raised a hand to his own cheek as if he had been the one struck, ‘Damn this woman!!’ he cursed inwardly. Then, shifting his gaze, he watched as Velc sluggishly pushed himself up from the floor.
Velc shook his head, blinking rapidly, as if trying to align his mind with reality. Then…
A thin trickle of blood slid from his nose.
Kai and Selene stood frozen, completely taken aback.
‘Looks like it’s their first time witnessing this too,’ Aether mused, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Xara crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze sharp. “Now do you remember?”
Velc, showing not even a hint of shame, rapidly nodded like a man whose survival depended on it. “I-I remember now… I remember everything… W-We signed when we got married, right?” His voice wavered slightly.
Xara gave a satisfied nod, “Exactly. Our marriage was nothing more than a contract of mutual interest. We agreed from the very beginning that when the time came, we’d separate without complications. That’s why we signed the divorce papers back then. It was always meant to happen. Do you understand now?”
Velc’s head bobbed up and down like a woodpecker. Without further argument, he hurriedly dragged himself toward the table and sat down, gripping the papers as if he was ready to sign them immediately.
Kai and Selene, still reeling from the shocking turn of events, could barely process what was happening. “M-Mom, are you—” Kai began hesitantly, but his voice was laced with uncertainty.
Xara cut him off with a calm but firm tone. “I only stayed with him because I didn’t want to leave you two alone. But now, you’ve both grown. You understand how the world works….. You’ve started making your own choices. I am no longer needed here and of course, I am still your mother and always be…” as she softly smiled.
Kai opened his mouth, wanting to protest, but the situation was already moving forward at an alarming pace. His father was signing the papers—without hesitation—after a single slap!
However—
“What about Aether’s ownership?” Selene’s voice cut through the tension, making Kai and Velc simultaneously flinch.
‘She had to ask now?!’ they both screamed internally in unison.
Xara turned to Selene and nodded. “Ah, of course, that too. Since I am going to adopt him, his ownership will naturally belong to me.”
Selene’s eyes widened, ‘That’s unexpected!’ she thought, her heart pounding. This was unacceptable. No matter who it was—even if it was her mother—she could not allow Aether’s ownership to belong to anyone else.
That right belonged to her!
Selene had to put a stop to this madness!
“But… but you belong to the Frostblad…” Her voice trailed off as a realization dawned upon her. Their parents had already been divorced for years—just staying together for appearances. That meant… her mother had every right to claim Aether’s ownership.
Xara wasted no time. “Come on, sign it, and we’ll perform the ritual,” she urged Velc.
Velc bit his lip, hesitating for the first time. He cast a glance at Kai, who seemed equally powerless to stop what was happening. But there was nothing either of them could do.
Taking a deep breath, Velc slowly moved his pen to the paper. His fingers trembled slightly, but—
He signed.
The dining room fell into a heavy silence, the only sound being the soft scratch of the pen against paper.
Velc hesitated just before the final signature, his voice suddenly uncertain. “Why don’t we take this slowly? Maybe we should sit down, discuss things calmly, and handle this tomorrow morning? I don’t mind the divorce, but…”
Xara’s eyes narrowed. She sighed, then fixed Velc with an icy stare. “Velc, don’t make me repeat myself…”
Her tone was blank, devoid of any sympathy.
Velc’s body trembled in fear as blood dripped from his nose… he immediately shoved the papers toward Kai. His hands shook uncontrollably as if trying to rid himself of the responsibility.
Kai hesitated, gripping the document tightly. His own body trembled as his gaze darted between Aether and his mother.
A slave… becoming his mother’s son.
How could he allow that?
He was her son. The only one… The rightful one!
The words burned in his throat, desperate to be shouted out. And yet… seeing the disappointment in his mother’s eyes, he found himself unable to speak.
Xara, watching her son closely, understood exactly what was running through his mind. His face said everything. But she chose to say nothing.
Kai clenched his jaw before whispering, his voice almost pleading, “M-Mom… could you please reconsider this? I… I’ll do anything, just don’t do this. I… just give me a chance to make things rig–“
“Doesn’t this feel familiar?” Xara suddenly interrupted, her voice cutting through his desperate plea.
Everyone frowned at her words.
Then she continued, “I chose that girl. That innocent, lovely girl. I knew she was perfect for you. And yet… you threw her away as if she was nothing.”
The room fell into an uneasy silence.
Everyone knew exactly who Xara was talking about.
Aurelia Scarlet… a.k.a Lia!
Kai’s throat tightened as Xara pressed on, “I just want to remind you, Kai… only I know how difficult it was to get Lia’s mother to agree to that engagement.
If you thought it was just because we were friends, then you were gravely mistaken.” Her voice darkened, a sharp edge of frustration creeping in, “That woman doesn’t have friends… no, she never thought others friends…. she never cared others. She is the most insane and twisted woman I have ever encountered in my entire life. And yet…”
Xara exhaled, shaking her head. “I wanted her daughter to be my son’s wife. Do you know why?”
Kai gulped audibly, struggling to find words.
But before he could speak, Selene answered for him, “Because… she’s a vampire… And a good girl.”
Xara nodded. “Yes. But that’s not the only reason.” She leaned forward, her piercing gaze locking onto Kai’s. “Her mother, Scarlet… carries the blood of the Primordial Vampire. The Mother Goddess’s own creation.”
The room plunged into silence…
Not a single breath, not a single sound.
Then, Xara spat out her next words with cold finality. “Do you know what that means? It means… she cannot die. No matter what you do to her.”
Aether stiffened, taken aback. ‘No matter what? What the hell is that supposed to mean?’ He was utterly shaken by the revelation.
Xara clenched her fists as if resisting the urge to slap her son. “And do you know who else carries that same bloodline?”
“Lia…” Selene whispered in shock, realization dawning on her.
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Xara merely nodded, her expression unreadable, “Yet here you are, having wasted all my efforts. I tried to secure you a future with the greatest woman in the entire world… and you threw it away.” She clicked her tongue, shaking her head, “I really loved that girl as my future daughter-in-law. Tsk, tsk… such a pity. I was looking forward to teasing her more,” she added with a soft, nostalgic smile.
Kai’s hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. Velc, too, was too stunned to react properly. His voice cracked as he finally shouted, “You should have told us that!! We never knew who she and whose her mother to begin with!! W-We could have—”
“What?!” Xara cut in sharply, her eyes blazing. “If Scarlet had any idea that you two were trying to use her daughter… I promise you, none of us would be alive right now.”
Her tone was deadly serious. Xara only brought Lia as a some low Level Noble’s daughter so neither Velc nor Kai never knew about Lia’s family except for that middle aged man who call himself her uncle!!
Kai swallowed hard… He had no argument… No way to turn the situation in his favour. He felt trapped, and helpless in a way he had never experienced before.
‘If only Vesperine is here…’ He thought before carefully asking,
“M-Mom… at least give me one night to thi—”
“Do it.” Xara’s voice softened, but only slightly, “You know… I at least deserve that right, don’t I?” She met his gaze, “For you, who broke every promise I made… Can you at least grant me this one final request?” she asked from the bottom of her heart
Her words struck like a blade straight to the heart.
Kai’s breath hitched and,
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