Chapter 7: Marriage

It didn't take that long before 12 am arrived and it is finally Christmas but the atmosphere at the family table was far from being festive

It was as if they would tear each other any moment from now

As soon as Christmas arrives, Landers immediately head to the dining hall with a bottle of champagne

Behind him were some more servants also holding their own bottles

Landers gave the bottle of champagne to the family head and Azael shake it a bit before popping the cork

The bottle's content was immediately spilled out

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Azael greeted but what should be a lively atmosphere is completely nonexistent though this doesn't faze him at all

Azarel doesn't know why but as soon as their father greeted them, his danger sense immediately warned him. All the hair in his body stood up for a reason and he wasn't left in dark for long

"Tonight, it's not only Christmas that we would celebrate" Azael started and everyone looked at him in curiosity

"Your brother and my only son would have his wedding soon!" He merrily announced to everyone

The Eldest creased her forehead in confusion, the middle child looked at her younger brother to wait for his reaction and the youngest immediately stood up from his seat while banging his fist into the table

Despite always fighting against each other, Azarel and Azael really have a lot of similarities with each other especially their temper

"What is the meaning of this!" Azarel questioned angrily. His face looks like a lion that would tear his enemies' face any moment from now

"It means exactly as it sounds. Now, sit down, you are ruining the mood for everyone" Azael answered while taking a sip of the champagne prepared to him by Landers

"You expect me to sit and calm down after the ridiculous thing you said? No, I won't sit down! Seriously, what age are we in now for you to plan an arranged marriage for me? I'm telling you now, I don't need your support nor do I care about your will. I won't let you force me into an unwanted marriage! " Azarel said angrily while pushing the plates of dishes aggressively, making a mess in the dinner table. Some of the plates even fell and shattered into pieces

"H-hey, let's all just calm down, alright? L-let's not ruin Christmas!" Hessy tried to mediate. If not, she would not earn some good points from their father. She is still expecting a handsome payment from her 'job' alright?

"Shut up!" Azarel shouted at his sister before looking at his father again

"I will never marry a woman! If you can't understand that, get a psychiatrist or something, you need it!"

"You should listen to your sister. Calm down. As much as I want you to marry normally, I know you would not agree if your marriage partner is a woman"

"So what? Did you ask your business partners a man for me to marry? Isn't that the same as selling your own son?"

"No, there wouldn't be an arranged marriage that would happen. I want you to choose your own partner from peasants to billionaires as long as you would marry someone within a month!"

Whether it be Navier, Hessy, or Azarel himself, all of them look at their father in extreme surprise

Did Azael really don't plan on forcing Azarel to marry 'normally' aka, marrying a woman?

From their understanding of their father, he would at least force Azarel to marry a man from an influential family and build a better relationship with them

Now, Azael is telling them that Azarel can marry anyone he wishes to even if that person is a poor man?

What's happening? Is this actually the end of the world?

"Oh my god, you really have a terminal disease!" Azarel mumbled while looking at his father in pity

His nerves calmed down. Aside from dying soon, Azarel can't think of any other possible reason why his father would let him marry anyone he wants to. As such, he sat in his seat again as if he wants to cherish the little bit of time he has with his father

"D-dad, is that true?" Hessy asked tearfully

"D-dad, don't give up. We will definitely find someone to cure you!" Navier said hopefully

All of them have the same impression on their father and Azael groaned in annoyance

"No one is dying. I still have many years ahead of me" Azael clarified and Azarel immediately pursed his lips

"Is that so? Then what makes you think you could force me into marriage? Where is your confidence coming from?" Azarel questioned while raising his brows

"Landers, get my bargaining chip" Azael ordered and the butler dialed someone with his phone and after a few minutes, the 'bargaining chip' finally arrived

Two women in black suits (since Azael fired all men that his son might try to sleep with) carrying a large cage entered the dining hall

"Arf! Arf!" The golden retriever inside the cage barked excitedly after seeing its owner and for the second time, Azarel stood up from his seat

"You spiteful old man, how did you get your hands on my most precious person? Don't you dare hurt my baby!" Azarel raged

The golden retriever is his most cherished and beloved dog named Duke. In Azarel's eyes, his pet deserves to live the life of a Noble, hence, explaining the name

In some ways, it was kind of his reverse scale as Azarel loved this dog so much

"Umm, that's not exactly the kind of words you would want to hear your sibling say. To think that we are inferior to dogs in his eyes" Hessy grumbled unhappily

If the dog is Azarel's most precious then what exactly does he thinks of his family?

"You already know my bargaining chip. I believe I don't have to say much for you to understand what I would do if you don't agree" Azael said leisurely. Thank god that his son has at least one weakness although it was in the personification of a dog