Enough!!

Draven pondered for a moment before standing up from his seat.

He did not give a response to Old Master Lenort but simply stepped out and walked over to Avelina, who immediately lifted her head to look at him.

'He is not about to do it, is he?' she thought.

Draven reached out his gloved hand, gently grabbing a hold of her chin and slightly pitching her head up.

He leaned down, his face just an inch away from hers.

She could feel his hot breath fanning her facial skin.

His reddish lips were so close to hers, that all it took was for him to move an inch closer and they would touch.

She abruptly batted her eyes as she gazed at his lips, able to hear her racing heartbeat in her ears.

Draven stared into her hazel eyes. He tenderly pressed his lips against hers, kissing her lightly.

One could tell that it was not at all a genuine kiss. It had no passion or emotion behind it.

Old Master Lenort, who had not expected him to take the action, whether it was genuine or not, vehemently narrowed his eyes before clearing his throat.

Draven broke off the kiss and straightened up.

He returned to his seat and sat down.

"Even though such a simple kiss proved nothing, are you satisfied now, pére?" he inquired.

Old Master Lenort looked at him for a few moments before shaking his head.

"You know the rest of the rules that come with this marriage, Draven. You must spend the night with her and claim her as yours. The mark you leave on her neck will confirm that."

"You are a prince and you should know better. It is not acceptable to have a wife and leave no mark on her, especially when she is a human. This is the least you can do, unless...you want me to assume it is a contract marriage! Bear in mind that if this is a contract marriage, I will not accept it!"

He glanced at Avelina.

"It is already enough of a shame that you married a slave for reasons I don't have a full grasp of. It better not be a contract marriage."

He let out a soft breath and continued, "Your marriage with her will be made known tomorrow, and I believe we do not want questions to be asked. So do the needful."

"I understand." Draven agreed obediently.

Avelina, who was gazing at him from over the table, parted her lips in perplexity.

If she was not wrong, spending the night with her meant…having an intimate night with her.

Was this old man crazy? Why would he even request such a thing?

This was between her and Draven! It was none of their business at all!

Her hands clenched tightly under the table, and she snapped out of her drifting thoughts the second she heard Ryan speak.

"It's quite a surprise that you are being so obedient today, little brother." Ryan's voice reverberated.

Avelina, along with the rest of the family members, glanced at him, and without being told, she could guess that he was the oldest. He looked way older and more intimidating than the rest of them, except Draven, whose demeanor alone was bone-chilling.

"Ryan, enjoy your dinner quietly." Old Master Lenort glimpsed him with a deadly look in his eyes.

Ryan took a sip of his drink and thought for a few seconds before a wide smile emerged on his face.

"Allow me to speak, Father. I feel like it's quite rude that we haven't welcomed my dear little brother's wife as we should." He looked at Avelina.

Avelina squinted her eyes and nervously adjusted on her chair, feeling this heavy tension weighing down on her.

Ryan's face lit up with a smile. "Relax, my dear sister-in-law. None of us here are going to hurt you. My little brother wouldn't allow that. I would simply like to give a proper introduction!"

He stood up from his chair with a glass of wine between his two fingers. "I am Ryan Delgaard, the oldest son of the royal family. And right beside me…"

He pointed at a gleeful-looking fine young man with a well-shaved bearded face, thick eyebrows, gray eyes, and dark silky short hair. Then he said, "This is the second son, Lumian Delgaard."

"Next to him, is seated...ha! Ha! Hahaha!" He began to laugh, amused by something.

Avelina stared at him, not sure why he was chuckling.

The person seated on the chair next to Lumian was Draven, and she couldn't see anything funny about it.

She could already tell that there was something off about this large family, but the oldest son's behavior right now was strange.

"Apologies, my dear sister-in-law." Ryan expressed his remorse and stepped out of his chair.

He walked over to the third seat and dropped his hands on Draven's shoulder.

"I have a lot to tell you about this, little brother of mine. As his wife, you have a lot to know." His grin widened, stretching from ear to ear.

Draven raised his head and looked at Avelina.

Avelina, whose eyes had met his at that moment, gazed at him, not sure what was going on.

Why was he looking at her? 

"How wonderful! He is staring you straight in the eyes! Aren't you afraid, sister-in-law? Tell me, don't you find his eyes unpleasant and frightening?" Ryan asked with viciousness in his gaze, his smile getting even wider.

Avelina parted her plump lips without breaking off eye contact with Draven, whose intent stare was never leaving hers.

"I..." she mumbled.

Why? Why can't she look away from him?... She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. 

"No…I do not," she answered subconsciously under Draven's never—breaking gaze, leaving the rest of the family, including the old master and the butlers, to draw their heads back.

"What?!" Ryan remarked in surprise. "That was a different answer from what I expected."

He cackled and grasped Draven's shoulder. He snickered and said, "You feel good hearing that from someone for the first time, right, little brother?"

Draven let out a quiet breath and grabbed a hold of Ryan's hands. 

"Enough!" He glared, the edge of his cold eyes glancing at him.

Ryan quickly let go of him and took two steps back. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't look at me like that!" He spoke with a revolted look evident on his face. "Do you want to kill me or something?" There was a sense of taunting behind his words.

Avelina, who was watching all this drama unfold, glanced around in confusion.

This is absurd! Was all that could cross her mind.

"Sister-in-law!" Ryan's voice echoed in her ears, and she turned her attention to him.

"Do you know of this so-called rumor about my dear little brother?" he asked as he walked over to his chair to sit