[ Zhou Empire: Chairman''s Office… ]


    Grandpa Rnd, Ronan, and Natasha were talking about a project coboration with a newly establishedpanying from Country M when they heard the knock outside the door.


    "Grandpa, it''s me, Marceline. May Ie?"


    The three people were interrupted when Marceline arrived. Grandpa Rnd quickly responded, allowing her to enter the room.


    Marceline opened the door and she came in together with Kira. Ronan and Natasha frowned upon seeing Kira. He should have waited outside but he also entered the room, following Marceline.


    Ronan felt disappointed. He didn''t expect that Marceline would still show up in front of them. He thought Cedric already dealt with her. He tried contacting him but Cedric didn''t entertain him as he had something important to do– catching Kira tonight!


    ''Don''t tell me Cedric failed? I have to talk to him. Why is he ignoring my calls for the past two days!''


    Meanwhile, Grandpa Rnd stood up and walked over to wee the two.


    "What is he doing here? He is supposed to stay outside. Though he is Marceline''s bodyguard, he should know his ce. He doesn''t need to follow her inside. No one is going to hurt her here." Ronanmented to his daughter in a low voice.


    "Yes, Dad! You are right. He is like a dog always following his master," Natasha whispered back to her father.


    Though the father and daughter duo were murmuring to each other, Kira and Marceline could still hear them. This time, Marceline was able to notice her strange ability.


    ''Wait? Howe I am hearing things clearly for a certain distance?'' Marceline pondered to herself.


    She didn''t feel this a while ago when they were inside Attorney Jones'' office as it was soundproof.


    Unknown to Marceline, ever since she made love with Kira, Ste''s ability was slowly awakened. And she was now unconsciously using them.


    She didn''t know how to control her super ability as she was not aware of this yet. This would make Marceline feel ufortable especially if she was in a crowded and noisy ce.


    Fortunately, all the higher-ups'' offices inside the Zhou Empire were soundproof. It could somehow lessen her ability to hear sounds from the outside.


    Marceline lightly touched her head, still puzzled by this strange phenomenon. On the side, Kira was just silently observing her.


    ''Did she already notice that she could hear things… even the faint sound inside this room?''


    Kira felt worried thinking that this would greatly affect Marceline. He somehow guessed that her wolf had something to do with this. Before, Marceline''s sense of hearing was just normal.


    ''Do I really have to tell her about Ste? About her wolf? Can she handle the truth? The truth that she is now a werewolf?'' Kira was still conflicted about whether to tell Marceline or not.


    Meanwhile, Grandpa Rnd already invited Marceline to sit down with him. Marceline nced at Kira, pulling his hand as they walked towards the couch where Natasha and Ronan were sitting.


    Ronan and Natasha were surprised to see that gesture. It seemed that Marceline had no n of hiding her indecent affair with her bodyguard.


    On the other hand, Grandpa Rnd had mixed emotions seeing the entangled hands of Marceline and Kira.


    ''What is the meaning of this? Are they in a rtionship? Is the rumor about my granddaughter and her bodyguard true?'' Grandpa Rnd asked himself inwardly, still observing the two.


    Marceline and Kira didn''t sit down right away upon reaching the couch. They remained standing, facing Grandpa Rnd, Ronan and Natasha.


    Her cousin already arched her eyebrow while giving her a ridiculing look. Ronan chose to be silent but Grandpa Rnd nced at them with a questioning gaze.


    "Grandpa, if you are also bothered by the rumor going around in thepany, I would like you to know… that Kira is no longer my bodyguard," Marceline finally spoke up, bringing up the issue.


    Natasha just sneered at her. ''Ahuh, so it''s true. She has an affair with her bodyguard. Tsk Tsk. She fell in love with a mere bodyguard. Just so low. No ss. She''s dragging the Zhou Family down. And Grandpa still considers her as the heiress of the Zhou Empire. Now it''s time for grandpa to wake up. Marceline doesn''t deserve the title!''


    But little did she know, the man she was belittling and insulting right now was the King of vampires, the most powerful creature in Kingdom Phantasia once!


    Natasha would have to eat her words once she learned the truth about Kira''s identity. She was not even worth mentioning. For him, she was just a mere human being, inferior to his kind. Well, she might be a gatekeeper someday but Natasha would never match Kira''s power and prestige.


    "Marceline, be careful with your actions. Do you know the negative effect of such rumors on our family? You should act properly and not cause trouble and embarrassment. Don''t put shame on our family name!" Ronan scolded her right away.


    Kira knitted his brows into a frown, a cold glint shed through his eyes while looking at Ronan.


    ''How dare he say that to Marceline? He was the one who connived with Cedric Morgan, helping that mutt with his evil n against Marceline. They drugged her that night.'' Kira clenched his fists. He had the urge to punch Marceline''s cunning and hypocritical Uncle right in front of them.


    Kira''s murderous gaze sent chills down Ronan''s spine. He felt threatened and intimidated by Kira''s strong aura. Cold sweats suddenly covered his entire body.


    Grandpa Rnd cleared his throat, giving his son a warning look. Even the old man was displeased by Ronan''sst remarks. His granddaughter didn''t do anything that could harm their family.


    "Watch your words, Ronan. Let''s hear her first before jumping to a conclusion," Grandpa Rn said with his authoritative voice, making Ronan behave on his chair. He couldn''t do anything if this old man would pamper his granddaughter all the time.


    In the end, he would be on the losing end. Better to stay silent, than say anything bad against Grandpa Rnd''s favorite granddaughter! So annoying!


    Marceline smiled inwardly when Grandpa Rnd shut Ronan up from speaking badly of her. She better ignore them and just focus on talking to Grandpa Rnd. Besides, they were just extras there. She didn''t expect them to be there at her grandfather''s office.


    Since they were already there, why not p them with a piece of shocking news?


    "Grandpa, the thing is… Kira is now my husband!" Marceline dered, dropping a huge bomb in front of them.


    It was a jaw-dropping revtion which Grandpa Rnd, Ronan, and Natasha had never expected to hear from her. The room was engulfed in a deafening silence. No one among them uttered a word for twenty seconds.


    Marceline just smiled yfully, enjoying Ronan''s and Natasha''s surprised reactions. If Grandpa Rnd was not there, she should haveughed at them already.


    "Marceline, is that true?" Grandpa Rnd was the first one who broke the silence. He still couldn''t believe that his granddaughter married someone behind his back.


    "Are you just kidding, pranking this old man?" Grandpa Rnd let out an awkward chuckle.


    But Marceline shook her head, still looking at her grandpa with a serious expression on her face.


    "Grandpa, I''m not joking. This is true. These are the proofs…" Marceline asked Kira to give her the envelope containing their marriage certificates. She showed them to Grandpa Rnd.


    Grandpa Rnd picked the certificates from Marceline''s hand. He didn''t know what to say after confirming the truth.


    "But why? Why did you marry him without telling us?" Grandpa Rnd questioned Marceline''s actions. Deep inside, he felt upset about this.


    Marceline didn''t hide her reasons as she spoke to him frankly. "Because you are trying to marry me off to someone whom I didn''t even know. If I told you that I want to marry him, would you agree? Won''t you object about our rtionship?"


    Grandpa Rnd was hurt but he couldn''t me her. However, he was still unhappy with Marceline''s rash action. Did she just do it to rebel against him?


    "Is that the only reason you did this on impulse? The Silvano Family is already backing out of this arranged marriage. You should have talked to me first."


    Kira just darted his gaze back and forth between Marceline and her grandfather. He was bothered knowing that Marceline''s grandfather was upset and against their marriage.


    "No. This is not the only reason. You know me, grandpa. I will not do something like this just to go against you. I''m not that childish. It''s just that… I truly like him."


    ? ''Grandpa, I love Kira… and I also used my situation for him to agree to marry me even though I know he doesn''t feel the same way yet…'' Marceline thought to herself.


    "Grandpa… I wish to talk to you… ALONE," Marceline added, as she was about to tell him her another reason for marrying Kira rashly.


    Grandpa Rnd, who was still shaken by her revtion, turned to Natasha and Rn. "Leave us," he simply said with a serious expression on his face.


    Natasha and Ronan just exchanged nces with one another before walking out of the office. They were hoping that Marceline would be put on Grandpa Rnd''s bad side after this talk. They could see how unhappy Grandpa Rnd was when he heard about Marceline''s sudden marriage.


    When the father and daughter duo left, Marceline revealed another thing to Grandpa Rnd.


    "Grandpa, Cedric Morgan drugged me during your birthday party. He attempted to rape me. He tried to force me and have sex with him. Fortunately, Kira came on time to save me."


    "WHAT? Cedric did that to you?!!"