Chapter 1291: "The Ethics of Power: Familial and Social Implications"
Sebastian grappled with the undeniable fact that igniting Isaac's temper was an unaffordable luxury. He found himself with no recourse but to search for a middle ground, a bitter pill to swallow. Ultimately, he reluctantly granted Enzo his blessing to marry his beloved daughter. Yet, the looming threat of provoking Isaac's wrath, which could unleash utter devastation upon their kin, forced him to prioritize his family's welfare over his daughter's happiness.
Isaac, observing this reluctant compliance, couldn't resist a disdainful snort. "If only you had cooperated earlier, sparing us this needless ordeal," he remarked with a sardonic tone.
Sebastian nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with determination, as he turned to Chairman Craven. "Your wisdom knows no bounds, Chairman. I pledge to cease my frivolous chatter henceforth. I humbly request the opportunity to continue enjoying my cherished membership..."
Charlie wore a slight smile as he glanced at Linda and Enzo, the closest of friends. He spoke in a soft, composed tone, "It's time to begin our preparations. Mr. Dorovich has graciously blessed his daughter's union in holy matrimony, and the clock has ticked past ten. Our grand ceremony must commence promptly at noon."
Charlie's genuine desire for Enzo to marry Mr. Dorovich's daughter caught him off guard. It was indeed a fortunate match for him, even though she was nearly two decades his junior. However, the challenge lay in delicately explaining this to his beloved wife, Linda.
Furthermore, Mr. Dorovich's daughter was expecting, carrying a child with a significantly darker complexion. Welcoming her into their home meant Enzo would soon become a father to a child of different ethnicity, inviting ridicule from the entire city.
With all these considerations, he was reluctant to accept Charlie's unsettling arrangement. But now that Mr. Dorovich, a man ten times his strength, had already made concessions, what other choice did he have?
Orvel and Isaac were both present, and defying this decision would likely have dire consequences.
With these thoughts in mind, Enzo could only respectfully say to Charlie, "I am ready to abide by Master Wade's arrangement."
At that moment, Linda, who had remained silent until now, exploded in anger. She cursed hysterically, "Enzo, you heartless rogue! Are you really planning to forsake me like this? Don't forget all we've been through together, the hardships we endured, and the contributions I made to the Sun family. And now, you're just going to discard me?"
Enzo's face contorted with pain as he replied, "You can see for yourself that I have no say in this matter. If I offend Master Wade and he holds us accountable, our entire family will be ruined."
Linda had invested all her efforts and sacrifices into building the Sun family. When she married Enzo, neither of them had much to their name. Through their joint endeavors, they had built their business to its current stature. She never imagined that, just as they were about to enjoy the fruits of their labor, she would be cast aside like this. The injustice was unbearable.
Furious, she yelled, "I don't care about this so-called Master Wade! If you dare to divorce me, I'll fight you to the death! I'll go down with you!"
Isaac hadn't expected such a fiery response from Linda. He spoke sternly, offering her a final opportunity, "Separate from Enzo, leave Aurous Hill City forever, and never return. If you refuse, I will expose your entire family, and they'll be banished from Aurous Hill City. Don't regret it!"
Upon hearing these words, Linda was so terrified that she nearly fainted.
Chapter 1292: "Mistakes, Misery, and Matrimony: Linda's Lament"
She was well aware of Isaac's impressive background, and his reputation for keeping his promises was rock-solid. His abilities were off the charts, and if he were to escort her and her family out of the charming town of Aurous Hill, he'd stick to his word without a doubt.
It dawned on her that thwarting her own marital happiness wasn't the only consequence she'd face; her family from her hometown would also bear the brunt of her decision.
Her family, originally lacking in both wealth and influence, was merely surviving. If her actions led to their exodus from their beloved hometown, their lives would take a nosedive into misery.
She couldn't afford to harm herself, not to mention her family. Becoming a social outcast, isolated from everyone, was just not on her to-do list.
As she agonized over her choices, contemplating acceptance of Charlie's arrangements, a glimmer of hope suddenly emerged in the form of Erich.
Linda dashed towards Erich like a character in a rom-com, her voice quivering with emotion, and with teary eyes, she dropped to her knees and implored, "Erich, it's all my fault. I messed up big time. I won't stand in the way of your love with Callum any longer. Please, talk to Master Wade, plead for his mercy. Let's hurry and plan the wedding before it's too late. You'll be my cherished daughter-in-law, and I'll treat you like my own flesh and blood. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
In this critical moment, Linda also realized that everything that had unfolded today was the result of her actions towards Erich. Her obstinacy had provoked Master Wade's wrath.
Master Wade's intervention was undoubtedly a direct response to her ill treatment of Erich, a fact that had definitely rubbed him the wrong way.
Furthermore, her insistence on forcing her son into marriage with Mr. Dorovich's daughter had likely added fuel to the fire.
To untangle this web, they needed to address the root cause, and that key lay in Erich's hands.
If she could convince Erich to intercede with Master Wade, perhaps they could set things right once more.
Erich, too, found herself caught in a dilemma. Her compassionate nature refused to let her fiancé's mother lose everything and be exiled from her hometown.
Yet, when she pondered her past interactions with Linda, Erich couldn't help but worry. If she indeed beseeched Charlie on Linda's behalf and he forgave her, could there be future repercussions?
Linda, observing Erich's inner turmoil, knew that the prospect of potential retaliation weighed heavily on her mind.
So, she cried and kowtowed to Erich, her plea dripping with heartache, "Please, trust me. I'll treat you like family from now on. You'll be my dear daughter, and together, we'll bury our past squabbles and savor a joyful life. Should I ever turn against you in the future, may fate be my witness!"
Erich's heart softened, and she couldn't resist sneaking a glance at Charlie.
After a brief pause, she stammered, "Uh... Charlie... I mean... Master Wade..."
Charlie fixed his gaze on her, cutting through the tension like a martial arts master, his voice as cold as a snowflake in a blizzard, "I understand what you're getting at. But let me be crystal clear: this isn't about you and her anymore. It's between me and her now. No matter how much you plead, I won't be swayed. It's just not happening. Period."
Chapter 1293: "The Consequences of Past Actions: A Tale of Regret and Resilience"
Erich found herself caught off guard by Charlie's unyielding stance, causing her to instinctively retract. It was evident that Charlie had no intentions of preserving her dignity.
With a heavy heart, Erich turned her gaze to Linda, her remorse evident, and spoke, "I deeply apologize, Auntie. I'm truly powerless in this situation..."
Linda, who had placed her last hope in Erich, was shattered by this swift turn of events. She turned to Callum, her voice laden with desperation, "Callum, you have to step in for your mother! I've raised you all these years, and it hasn't been easy!"
Callum, torn by his emotions, couldn't ignore the fact that Linda was his biological mother. He didn't want to witness his parents' divorce or see his mother forced out of Aurous Hill. Moreover, the thought of his father marrying someone nearly his own age was unsettling.
Reluctantly, he knelt before Charlie and implored, "Charlie, Master Wade, please grant our mom another chance. I promise she'll change!"
Charlie's tone remained icy as he responded, "I've already made it clear that this matter involves your father, your mother, Mr. Dorovich, and me. These three individuals have repeatedly disrespected me, mocked me, and even threatened my life. Do you believe that kneeling before me can erase these offenses? We've only just met today; do you think your gestures hold that much weight?"
Marlon, seizing the moment, pulled Callum away and exclaimed, "Callum, are you out of your mind? How can you defy Master Wade at a time like this? Be quiet!"
Marlon's emotions were a mix of complex feelings. He had never harbored any affection for Linda, who had always belittled him due to his modest financial status, openly taunting and ridiculing him. Now, witnessing her predicament, he couldn't help but relish a bit of schadenfreude. It felt like a measure of poetic justice – she had it coming, and he secretly reveled in it.
However, he also harbored a genuine fear that Callum, his cousin, and his mother might provoke Charlie further, potentially bringing calamity upon the entire Sun family. Thus, Marlon chose to maintain a safe distance, unwilling to get too close to the impending turmoil.
In that moment, Callum realized that he held no sway in Charlie's presence. The sole reason Charlie had attended this event was his wife, Claire.
Claire had only brought Callum along due to her longstanding friendship with Erich from high school. If Charlie showed no willingness to spare Erich any dignity, how could Callum expect any different treatment?
Linda felt utterly defeated, realizing that no one could come to her aid at this juncture. Her world was crumbling around her, and she couldn't help but regret her past actions, wishing she could turn back time and correct her mistakes. She had gone to great lengths to obstruct Erich's entry into the Sun family, ridiculing, mocking, insulting, and humiliating her. Yet, here she was, facing the dire consequences of her own actions – the irony was almost unbearable.
If she had known that her choices would lead to this disastrous outcome, she would have never engaged in such spiteful behavior. Regret gnawed at her as she pondered, "Why did I have to create conflicts with Erich? Now, I've brought immense trouble upon myself. If I divorce Enzo today and get expelled from Aurous Hill, how will I ever survive?"
Growing impatient, Charlie cast a quick glance at the time. "We're already approaching 11 o'clock. Are we proceeding with this wedding or not?"
Orvel, upon hearing this, raised his voice sternly, "Hurry up and go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to initiate the divorce proceedings. If you delay any longer, I'll have your entire family ousted from Aurous Hill!"
Linda trembled at his words, tears streaming down her face as she replied, "I'll go, I'll go right away..."
Satisfied with her response, Orvel turned to Sebastian and issued a command, "Fetch your daughter. She's leaving with me!"
Chapter 1294: "Bridal Switcheroo: From Son to Father"
Sebastian hurriedly bowed and addressed Lord Heller, "Lord Heller, please give me a moment. I'll go inform my daughter. She's completely unaware of what's happening here..."
Orvel, glancing at his watch with a frigid demeanor, remarked, "You have precisely three minutes. If you persist in stalling, I won't be lenient!"
Isaac added his own warning, "Sebastian, let me be perfectly clear. No tricks. If I don't see your daughter's marriage certificate with Enzo, consider yourself finished."
Sebastian vigorously nodded, his anxiety palpable as he responded, "Chairman Craven, Lord Heller, please have no doubt. I wouldn't dare entertain any deceitful thoughts."
Orvel, without hesitation, delivered a swift kick to emphasize his point, scolding, "Words are worth little. Go and make your assurances directly with Master Wade!"
Sebastian promptly crawled over to Charlie's side, bowing deeply, "Master Wade, please rest assured. I shall diligently adhere to your instructions and avoid any deceitful maneuvers!"
Charlie, with a dismissive wave of his hand, expressed his disdain, "Quit dawdling and attend to your task. I'm still looking forward to your daughter's wedding banquet!"
"Eh, eh, eh!" Sebastian nodded repeatedly and hastily moved away from the group, intent on locating his wife and daughter.
Meanwhile, his wife and daughter had been maintaining a cautious distance, awaiting his resolution of the matters with the Sun family. Their plan was to proceed with the wedding immediately afterward.
Joanne, his daughter, was feeling especially anxious at this moment. She fully grasped the gravity of her circumstances. If she didn't secure a suitable partner promptly, her situation would become increasingly complicated as her pregnancy advanced.
Bearing a child out of wedlock, particularly one with a different racial background, would tarnish her reputation irreparably within Aurous Hill's society. The prospect of her future seemed bleak.
Furthermore, she was merely two months into her pregnancy. However, within another two months, the visible signs would become undeniable. She had a brief two-month window to secure a husband.
In recent days, she had been actively searching for a potential spouse. She had contemplated a scenario in which, if the baby didn't exhibit obvious racial differences, she could expedite a marriage and subsequently introduce the child as a premature birth to avoid suspicion. Deception would be her only escape from judgment.
However, her present predicament was distinct. Since the child in her womb was clearly of a different race, any attempts at deception would swiftly unravel. She couldn't afford to coerce someone into marrying her; she needed a willing partner.
After a thorough search, she had come to the disheartening realization that those meeting her criteria were reluctant, and those who expressed willingness fell short of her expectations.
Today, her father had informed her that they had secured Callum as her suitor, and she had welcomed the news with enthusiasm. While she didn't know Callum intimately, he possessed appealing attributes – good looks, a prestigious educational background, decent family roots, and most importantly, their families had business connections. He appeared to be the ideal match!
Thus, she eagerly awaited confirmation, her eyes fixed on her father's return, and she inquired, "Dad, is everything settled now? Is Callum genuinely agreeable to marrying me?"
Sebastian, wearing a look of shame, replied with embarrassment, "Joanne, today it's not Callum who's marrying you."
Joanne's astonishment was evident as she asked, "What? If it's not Callum, then who is the groom?"
Sebastian, struggling to find the words, admitted, "It's Enzo, Callum's father!"
Chapter 1295: A Marriage of Necessity: The Elderly Groom Edition"
"What?!"
Joanne and her mother teetered on the brink of shock, their worlds unraveled by that one sentence!
Joanne's mother, brimming with fury, berated, "Sebastian, have you gone mad? Weren't we planning for Joanne to wed Callum from the Sun family? Why are you suddenly suggesting she marries Callum's father, Enzo? That man is nearly your age! How could you even contemplate marrying off our daughter to him?"
"Absolutely, Dad!" Joanne chimed in, equally incensed. "Even with my pregnancy, I refuse to marry some elderly gentleman!"
Sebastian, his face a portrait of shame, gazed at his wife and daughter and began to repeatedly slap himself while lamenting, "It's all my fault. I acted foolishly and offended the wrong people. Now, they've enlisted the support of both Mr. Orvel and Chairman Craven. They've left me with only one option: Joanne must wed Callum's father, or else our family will be driven to the brink..."
"What?!" His wife's world went dark. "You provoked Mr. Orvel and Chairman Craven? Are you out of your mind?"
Sebastian implored, "I had no idea it would come to this..."
His wife, a mix of desperation and anger, demanded, "Explain yourself!"
Sebastian tearfully recounted the entire chain of events.
Once he finished, Joanne sank to the ground, overwhelmed by tears.
"I won't do it! I refuse to marry that elderly man! I'd rather die!"
Seeing his daughter's anguish, Sebastian hurriedly cautioned, "Please, dear daughter, be careful. Don't harm my grandson. Despite his different racial background, he's still my grandson. He'll carry our Dorovich family name after he's born, just like a biological child."
His wife, fuming, exclaimed, "This isn't the time for discussions about 'grandsons'! We need to find a solution immediately; there's no way we can allow our daughter to marry that elderly man!"
Sebastian sighed heavily and admitted, "I'm left with no choice in this matter. If Joanne refuses to marry, these influential individuals will hold us accountable, and our family will be ruined. We might not even have the means to support your pregnancy, and you're accustomed to a life of luxury. We won't even be able to afford basic necessities."
"What?!" Joanne's sense of despair deepened further.
For countless years, she had been spoiled, enjoying monthly allowances in the hundreds of thousands. A sudden plunge into destitution would be insufferable.
His wife, too, felt overwhelmed by despair. She had no intentions of forsaking her immense wealth for a life of penury; that would effectively be a death sentence.
She hugged her daughter and sobbed, "Joanne, Mr. Orvel and Chairman Craven are individuals we simply cannot afford to antagonize. To secure our family's livelihood, you may have to marry that elderly man, Enzo!"
In a hushed tone, she added, "Furthermore, you won't be able to conceal your pregnancy for long, perhaps only a month or two. If we don't secure a spouse for you during that time, we're truly doomed!"
"Yes," Sebastian quickly interjected, "Marrying Enzo is a temporary measure. In due course, once the situation settles, we can file for divorce."
Hearing this, Joanne reluctantly conceded, stifling her tears. "I can't see an alternative. Let's proceed with the marriage certificate..."
, and Claire had to deal with so much BS 'cause of him. He even had the nerve to ask for money during Grandma Wilson's big party, making Claire hella embarrassed 
Some butler dude shows up. Turns out, Charlie Wade's actually from the uber-rich Wade clan. The butler's like, "Come home, fam." But since his parents were, like, done dirty by the Wade fam, he's like "Nah." But he did take his grandpa’s black card loaded with 10 billion. 
#MicDrop
