The silence in the room was deafening as Leo pulled out the sealed folder handed to him earlier by Butler Wang.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he placed the thick envelope on the wooden table in front of Rio and Roxanne's father.
The old man—whose frail appearance veiled the storms of a past once filled with fire and power—reached for it with steady but hesitant hands.
He unraveled the seal slowly, eyes narrowing as each page revealed ugly truths that had long festered in the shadows.
The reports were brutal. Medical analysis. Poison residue tests. Secret correspondences. Hidden financial trails. Names. Places. Proof.
With every word he read, the mask of frailty peeled off the old man's face.
His eyes, once dull with sickness, glowed now with bloodlust. His jaw clenched tight, and veins pulsed visibly across his temple.
"That bastard..." he whispered.
For years, he'd chosen silence. When whispers of betrayal first reached him, he dismissed them—he needed to preserve stability, not provoke chaos.
He had believed that turning a blind eye was strength.
But the truth, now laid bare before him, was unforgivable.
His hands trembled, crumpling one of the pages slightly. And yet, after a long, tension-filled pause, he slowly placed the documents back down and sighed.
"Young Lord Leo..." he said, voice tight, though controlled. "As much as I wish to act now, I must restrain myself.
If I am to ensure my son and daughter rise above this and claim their rightful future, I must stay seated... for now."
He looked Leo in the eyes and respectfully bowed his head.
"Forgive me, but I must decline your offer."
The temperature in the room dropped.
Butler Wang frowned immediately, displeasure flashing across his face like a shadow.
Leo, however, remained calm.
He didn't speak.
Instead, he placed another set of documents on the table.
"You should see this, Uncle," he said gently.
The old man hesitated. Then picked up the folder.
His eyes darted from line to line, and with each passing second, his body stiffened.
The documents spoke of Alex, his brother's eldest son—falsified medical reports, disguised treatment bills, and most damning of all, the toxic compound that had been slowly administered to his wife over the years.
By his own brother.
"No... no, he wouldn't..."
But the truth was unrelenting.
Not only had his brother attempted to cut down his political strength by isolating him, but he had crippled his bloodline's future by poisoning his wife to weaken Rio and Roxanne's spirit and slowly erode the will of his entire branch.
The report concluded with Butler Wang's own signature confirming authenticity.
A chair slammed backward as the old man stood.
His entire body shook with a silent, violent fury.
"That demon... I should have—"
But Leo gently raised a hand, calming him with nothing more than a smile.
"You'll get your chance, Uncle. But there's more urgent matters at hand."
He paused, sipping his tea, and then placed a small, ornate scroll on the table.
"I came here with a proposal. One that benefits both of us."
The old man's eyes narrowed. "What proposal?"
"A marriage alliance. Between me and your daughter, Roxanne."
The room fell silent.
The old man was stunned.
"You want to marry my daughter?"
Leo smiled faintly, his tone composed. "Yes."
"I will not sell my daughter, no matter how powerful your lineage."
A moment of tension.
And then Leo laughed softly.
"Sell? Uncle, don't mistake this for a purchase.
It's an offer. One you're free to reject. Just know... without my help, your children may die at the hands of your own brother."
His words were calm, but they cut deep.
Even Butler Wang was momentarily surprised. But then, his lips curled in approval.
Leo's ability to strike deep into a man's mind without lifting a finger—this was power beyond bloodlines.
The Shadow Force, hidden just beyond the walls, remained deathly still. But within their silence, respect brewed.
Leo was no ordinary heir.
Finally, the old man exhaled slowly.
He looked at Leo—not as a child or a suitor, but as a storm incarnate.
He bowed his head.
"Very well... I agree."
Just as the tension settled, the door burst open.
A young boy and girl ran into the room.
"Father! We heard noise—!"
It was Rio and Roxanne.
Rio stood in front of his sister immediately.
"No! I won't let this happen! I won't let you marry Roxanne!"
Roxanne, stunned, opened her mouth to respond. But her words failed her the moment her eyes landed on Leo.
He was tall, composed, elegant—and terrifyingly handsome. His features, refined by the [System]'s influence, were otherworldly.
She froze, caught off guard.
Leo simply chuckled.
That reaction was all too common now.
The girl who had stormed in with bold steps now stood still, lips parted slightly, heartbeat racing.
And the game had only just begun.
—End of Chapter 19—
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[ TO BE CONTINUED ]
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Author's Note:
Boom! The chapter ends… but my journey as a humble author continues!
If you laughed, raged, or felt the urge to slap a fictional character today—don't forget to drop a Power Stone or add this novel to your collection!
It fuels my fingers and feeds the system behind this villainous tale.
Got an idea? A plot twist suggestion? Or just wanna yell at a character?
Slide into the comments—I read everything.
Until next time,
Stay evil, stay awesome, and thanks for reading!
– Your Scheming Author
azuredragonx
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