Scheme

Richard was still sitting beside his wife, who stared at the ceiling with a sorrowful expression. His wife still hasn't left the library after their discussion. He finds it funny that his wife looks like she was the one getting married, and not their daughter. She looked so different from Ayana, who appeared like nothing happen even after hearing the unexpected news.

The discussion was too calm and quiet, making Richard in disbelief when it was over. He was prepared for some heated emotional discussion, but luckily it never came.

He knew that his wife still couldn't fully accept her second biological daughter's tragic fate. If Ayana refused this marriage in the discussion earlier, he was sure his wife might attempt something crazy.

Richard could understand Haruka's frustration. He also felt that this situation was a bit unfair to Ayana. The girl just got into Zona A in less than a year. She just used Luxon as her last name for the past three months. It wouldn't even be cruel if they send Bryana for the marriage.

Richard understood his wife's intention to let Bryana become the bride instead of Ayana. His wife must feel that Ayana just came and started to feel safe and happy in District 4. She must be thinking that this was not the right time for Ayana to leave since she hasn't gotten enough affection from her family, hasn't tasted enough delicious food, hasn't traveled enough places, hasn't made enough friends, and a lot more for a girl his age could experience.

Haruka wanted to provide everything she could give with money equally to all her children.

Richard was a little worried that Ayana would consider that they only brought her back from District 10 just to make her the victim of a political deal. He was also suspicious that the elders might be the ones to plan all of this. 

The senates might be just the cover to their wicked plan. 

Richard found it strange that the elders accepted Ayana's transfer proposal sooner than they expected. It was so fast that he was dumbfounded and in disbelief when Haruka told him that the elders finally accepted her proposal. He did not say anything back then since Haruka was so happy, but when the marriage proposal to Ayana finally arrive, something clicked inside his mind. He was right. 

The notion of political marriage with District 2 always makes many people anxious, especially the leaders in Zone A. They were like walking on eggshells when the topic emerged. No one wants to send their offspring to the wolf den. They have learned from the experience that the political marriage with District 2 was a bad idea if they have to sacrifice their daughter or son.

All the senates and elders of Districts 3, 4, and 5 would feel conflicted because the risk and the advantage of political marriage with District 2 were equally big. District 1 was an exception since they were strong enough to stand by themselves. 

The high position of the Senate and elders came with this so-called duty which is to offer their offspring as the tool to maintain peace and welfare in the name of a political marriage. A political marriage to build connection was not unusual. Although it started to change after several accidents this past two years. 

The leaders' worry was not without any reason, the dominant population in District 2 was vampires. The rising population of vampires in the last decade made vampires arrogant. Some of them even viewed the other creature as no more than trash and won't hesitate to kill when they are angered. 

The last two political marriages with District 2 ended up in disaster. The first victim was a man from District 5, who was found dismembered into a tiny piece of meat because his affair was exposed. His vampire fiancé killed him without any mercy. The next victim was a girl from their district. She has been beaten half to death after frankly saying that she doesn't want to marry the arrogant vampire, who was her betrothed just five months ago.

But even after their vicious nature was exposed, no one dared to do anything to District 2. Their vampire troops were undefeatable. They recruit the best people and turn the human ones into a vampire, creating stronger troops. The connection between District 1 and District 2 also became one of the reasons many people hesitate to voice their protests. 

This kind of power caused the elders of district 3 to close their eyes to the girl's family's misfortune and try to find other victims. And the perfect victim they could find is Ayana. Their greed made them forget everything and agree on another political marriage just five months after the incident.

Richard felt guilty because his father is one of the senates. He knew that if his father had to choose the political victims from all his granddaughters, he would choose his stranger-like granddaughter, who appeared out of nowhere less than a year ago. He would close his eyes because he knew that the other senates would suggest his other two beloved granddaughters if he confronted them.

"I won't spare them if something happens to Ayana," Haruka mumbled with a gloomy face.

"Nothing will happen to her. She is a strong girl," Richard said as he tried to calm his wife, who was still struggling to accept this situation in her mind. Richard then moved closer to his wife and rubbed her back. Trying to calm her.

"Actually, I think we are lucky that they still think to do this deal since they can threaten us to submit to them. There is a big gap in our power. Our district might be ready for a war, but we won't be prepared to deal with the aftermath." Roney's voice disturbed Richard and Haruka's intimate moment.

"What are you doing here?" Richard asked with annoyance as he looked at Roney. The boy appeared to look for something on one of the shelves.

"I want to read some books," Roney answered briefly, then continued after a moment of silence.

"But father, don't you find this situation suspicious? I mean, Ayana's very slow transfer request suddenly went smoothly.

Instead, it suddenly proceeds so fast. Then, Ayana was suddenly appointed to be the tool of this political marriage. Could someone actually plan everything to marry Ayana off?" Roney's words make Haruka's face turn grim in an instant.

"Perhaps, they deliberately made it easier for Ayana to move, so they don't have to marry off their daughter if this kind of situation emerged," Haruka replied with a cynical smile. 

  Richard could see Haruka's hands were tightly clenched.

"Roney, have you got the book you wanted to read?" said Richard trying to drive away his son gently. He didn't want to worsen Haruka's mood.

"I haven't found the book I'm looking for, but I think I can look for it later," Roney said before he immediately rushed out after being glared at by his father.

"Roney has a point. I let my guard down. I was so glad that Ayana finally got to live with us that I didn't notice this wicked scheme." Haruka said with a worried face. Her shoulders which used to look big looked so weak as if she was in a desperate situation.

"Your decision to bring Ayana here will not change even if you notice their plans, dear. You won't let her stay in that dangerous place. We can't change the past. We have to believe that she will be fine," Richard said while hugging Haruka as he rubbed his wife's back.

"But, how? She won't live with us after her marriage. Do you still remember Nala, the Everheart family's daughter? She was beaten so badly that she was in critical condition for a week. I don't want the same thing to happen to Ayana. I didn't bring her back after 10 years for this, Richard," Haruka said as the tears started to flow down her face. She was unable to contain the terrifying feeling when she thought about her daughter's pitiful fate.