Chapter 4

Damian slowly walked in through the door. Today, he was dressed in a tailored gray suit that accentuated his tall, lean figure. With his strikingly handsome features, he immediately captured everyone's attention as soon as he entered. Zelda was startled when she saw Damian walking in. She stood up quickly and hurried over to him. She asked softly, "What are you doing here?" Damian wrapped his arm around her waist with a firm grip. His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized everyone in the room. "We just got married. I should accompany you to visit your family. Are you hesitant?" Zelda's cheeks flushed slightly. It wasn't that she didn't want him here, but given the current situation, Damian's arrival only made things worse. As an insignificant male escort, he couldn't possibly confront Osbert effectively. Zelda pulled him aside and whispered, "You should go back for now. The situation here is complicated, and I can't explain it all in just a few words." This was her family matter, and she didn't want to drag Damian into it. However, Damian stubbornly held onto her, showing a surprising resolve despite the situation. He said, "You're my wife, so your problems are my problems." This statement infuriated Osbert. Although he had been pleased with Zelda in every way, this unexpected interference infuriated him. He felt his dignity was insulted. Enraged, he slammed his hand heavily on the table. The loud bang echoed through the room, causing Edric's face to flush with embarrassment. He quickly apologized to Osbert, "Mr. Ferguson, it's not what you think. Zelda is just causing trouble. Please don't take it seriously." The Cantrells had to depend on Osbert's investment, and any anger from him could spell disaster for Cantrell Group. Osbert stood up from the couch, his gaze cutting as he scanned Zelda before settling on Damian. Damian carried an innate air of sophistication that immediately suggested wealth or high status. However, Osbert, who held a prominent position in Phoypolis, had encountered most of the city's notable figures. After a glance confirming that he hadn't seen Damian before, Osbert's arrogance only grew more pronounced. He said, "Edric, I'm not desperate for a wife. Don't humiliate me like this. If you don't want your daughter to marry me, just say so. There's no need to bring in some pretty boy to undermine me." Edric's expression was also grim. He hadn't expected Zelda to use such tactics. He approached Damian, but due to his shorter stature, he lacked the imposing presence. He asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?" Damian's expression remained indifferent as he wrapped his arm around Zelda and pulled her closer. "Naturally, I'm here for a visit." "How dare you? Zelda is my daughter, a pure young woman. Who do you think you are, to tarnish her reputation?" Edric questioned him, his face turning red with fury. At that moment, he seemed like a father genuinely concerned for his daughter. Damian was not intimidated by Edric's anger. He glanced over at Osbert with an indifferent look and said, "You must be around 40 or 50 years old, which is old enough to make you Zelda's father. "Are you really planning to marry her? Are you just an old man pursuing a younger woman, or are you merely dreaming beyond your means?" Zelda almost laughed out loud. Damian had a sharp tongue. Osbert's face turned an angry shade of red. He glared at Edric and spat out his words, almost through clenched teeth, "Edric, forget about any help from me regarding your family matters." With that, he stormed out in a huff. Edric tried to call Osbert back, but Osbert was too enraged to listen. He marched out briskly. What was supposed to be a straightforward negotiation had turned into chaos because of Damian's arrival. Edric was on the verge of losing consciousness from frustration. He glared at Damian and pointed a shaking finger at him, stuttering, "Y-You…" He couldn't get a complete sentence out. At that moment, Belinda conveniently stepped in. She approached Edric and patted him on the back. In a reproachful tone, she said, "Zelda, even if you're unwilling, you shouldn't provoke your father like this. He's only asking you to marry Osbert for the good of our family." They always wrapped their self-serving actions in grandiose justifications. Zelda found their hypocrisy nauseating. Edric managed to regain his composure and looked up at them. "Zelda, how dare you use such tactics to avoid marriage? I'm telling you, you must marry Osbert. Otherwise, don't expect any help from me with your grandfather's situation." Upon mentioning Harlan, Edric saw an opportunity to leverage Zelda's feelings. His expression softened considerably as he continued, "Tomorrow, I'll prepare gifts. You'll come with me to apologize to Mr. Ferguson. He'll forgive you." As soon as Edric finished speaking, Belinda quickly chimed in, "Yes, Zelda. The situation hasn't been made public. Our family is struggling right now, and your father's decision is unavoidable. You need to understand and not provoke him with some pretty boy." Zelda looked coldly at the two of them. Their repeated use of her grandfather to threaten her was truly despicable. Sensing her anger, Damian reached out and drew her closer. His intense eyes narrowed slightly in what seemed like a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. He declared, "I'm sorry, but Zelda and I have already obtained a marriage certificate. We're legally married now." "What do you mean?" Edric was clearly incredulous. Damian took out the marriage certificate from his pocket and spread it out. "This is the marriage certificate we just obtained today. If you don't believe me, you can verify it at the courthouse." Edric glanced at the certificate, which did indeed list Zelda's and Damian's names. Since Zelda was raised by Harlan, and she had all her identification documents on her, it was entirely possible for her to obtain a marriage certificate on her own. Seeing this, Edric's vision blurred with anger. Faye descended from upstairs and noticed the tense atmosphere. She curiously approached, asking, "Dad, Mom, what's going on?" As she spoke, her gaze suddenly fell on Damian. Just one look left her momentarily stunned. His chiseled, striking features exuded a perfect refinement. It was as if his face was meticulously sculpted, with no flaws. Dressed in a sharp gray suit, he appeared even more striking and handsome, surpassing many celebrities. "Faye, Zelda has somehow married a pretty boy, and now, she's provoking your father," Belinda said, pointing at Zelda with scorn. Faye redirected her gaze to Zelda. She immediately adopted a delicate, feigned innocence. "Zelda, how could you do this? Just yesterday, you agreed to everything. And Grandpa is still in the hospital. If our family can't secure the funds, who's going to cover Grandpa's medical bills?" With Faye's reminder, Edric decided to take a hardline approach. "Zelda, you need to get a divorce immediately. You'll come with me to the Ferguson residence to apologize tomorrow. Otherwise, you can just wait to deal with your grandpa's funeral arrangements."