Chapter Twenty-Six
The sound of sobbing rose and fell with the opening of the brown wooden door. Beneath the pure, gentle beams of light, Arthur’s golden hair shone brilliantly, and his sky-blue eyes sparkled, clear as the heavens after a rain. His skin, porcelain white and envied by the ladies, was as translucent as a peeled lychee.
The ladies in the audience were utterly entranced, while the gentlemen seethed with envy; a few even revealed greed and depravity in their gaze. Arthur’s eyes swept over the crowd, lingering briefly on several sanctimonious “gentlemen” and the person who had just exposed the Rivers family’s secrets, a flicker of murderous intent flashing across his face.
Behind Arthur, Maria was almost forgotten. Yet, upon seeing those men, hatred and murderous intent flared in her eyes. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides. How dare they defile her Arthur with such looks? She swore on the honor of the Spencer family that they would pay dearly for their sordid thoughts! Glancing at Arthur, composed and unruffled, Maria’s eyes filled with adoration as she slowly stepped forward, drawing the crowd’s attention.
“I am Maria Spencer, the current head of the Spencer family,” her voice, both alluring and commanding, rang out to the assembly, eliciting astonishment from all. “Today, in Lilith Castle, the stronghold of the Rivers family, I am here to announce two things.” She paused, carefully observing every reaction. “Arthur Rivers will assume the position of family head, and all assets of the Rivers family will be under his control.” Her words caused a furor among the audience.
Yet Maria paid no heed to their clamor, her lips curled in a proud, satisfied smile as she continued, “The second matter: by the honor of the Spencer family, I swear that we shall pledge our loyalty unto Arthur Rivers!”
This time, the crowd was struck speechless. The Spencer family—renowned for its bloody yet sophisticated ways—had grown even more formidable under Maria’s leadership, including methods more ruthless than ever.
The Rivers family, on the other hand, had always belonged to the “gentle” faction. Was this announcement of cooperation—or rather, subordination—meant to convey a new message? Was it possible the Rivers family would abandon their gentle ways for bloodier methods?
Oh, God. At that thought, everyone instinctively reached for their decorative handkerchiefs, dabbing at the cold sweat suddenly breaking on their foreheads.
Maria watched their reactions and nodded inwardly in satisfaction. Yes, this was the proper attitude toward the strong. To her, Arthur had always been the king atop the world.
Arthur, since his entrance, had maintained the stance of a quiet observer, standing serenely to the side.
As if the crowd’s “surprise” was still inadequate, the castle doors opened once more, admitting a procession clad in classical court attire. Leading them was a man with an expression of utter arrogance, impeccably dressed, chin raised high, refusing to spare even the corner of an eye for those present.
Behind him followed eight young men, equally well-dressed, their expressions only slightly less proud than their leader’s. They walked with elegance, eyes fixed straight ahead, as though none in the hall were worthy of their attention.
The audience watched them curiously, all speculating about their identities and intentions.
Questions filled everyone’s minds. Were these noble guests also summoned by Arthur Rivers? How many cards does Arthur Rivers still hold? What should they do in the future?
While the crowd speculated, only Baron Streeter’s face darkened, his cheeks twitching incessantly, for he alone had recognized the identities of these visitors.