"What else could it be? If not for me, why would you come here so early in the morning? You just returned from abroad a few days ago, and now you're here. Isn't it obvious? You couldn't resist coming to see me! Stop lying to yourself, Yura. I'm standing right here before you!"

David's words spilled out in a long, unrestrained flow. His voice rose higher with every sentence, carrying a mix of frustration, panic, and the faint desperation of someone whose hope was starting to collapse.

Yura's expression twisted into pure disgust. She exhaled sharply through her nose, glancing briefly at Clarista before turning her gaze back toward David, her eyes burning with loathing.

"You're being delusional. I didn't come here to see you, not even in the slightest. My purpose here is…" Yura spoke while turning away from him and toward Al.

The atmosphere in the garden instantly shifted. Silence weighed down on everyone, so much so that even the chirping of birds seemed unnaturally loud, sharpening the tension in the air.

"…to meet my boyfriend," she finished firmly, her warm smile directed at Al.

And then—

Silence. For a heartbeat, the entire world seemed to crack apart.

GRUUARRR—

The words struck David like a thunderbolt tearing through storm clouds. In his chest, it felt as though a dark cloud had burst, pouring its fury directly into his heart. Shadows seemed to crawl down and drape over his body, his throat tightening until not a single sound could escape.

Inside his mind, it was chaos—like the endless shattering of thousands of glass panes, echoing endlessly without pause.

Yura had spoken of a boyfriend. And her eyes… they were fixed on Al.

Al. The orphan, the boy David had dismissed this very morning as someone with no future.

But he didn't want to believe it. His eyes watered, his fists trembled, and his lips quivered violently as though trying to form words of denial—yet no denial would come.

"Yura… what do you mean by that? Who's your boyfriend?" David finally managed to choke out.

Clarista and Fani exchanged bewildered looks. They knew Yura—this was the same girl who had never once been rumored to date anyone, and in fact, many people assumed she wasn't even interested in men at all. Yet here she was, openly declaring she had a boyfriend.

And her gaze pointed straight at Al.

No, wait—there was also a girl standing just behind him. Could that girl also be referred to as a 'boyfriend'? Then who was it really? Fani's thoughts spun in confusion, especially because of the rumor that she was a lesbian.

The air thickened again. Only the rustling of leaves disturbed the silence, while the noise of nearby construction workers mysteriously faded into nothing, as if the entire world was holding its breath.

"Isn't it already obvious?" Yura's voice cut through, soft yet laced with a sharp edge.

She stepped closer to Al. Then, without hesitation, she slipped her arm through his, locking them together. Her smile was warm, yet her eyes dared anyone to deny what she was declaring.

Huh? Al's mind reeled.

His body stiffened at the unexpected gesture. His brow furrowed, his shoulders tensed, and his breath came heavier, almost as though he was trying to hold something back. Instinctively, he wanted to pull his arm away.

But Devy's voice stopped him—echoing directly in his head.

"Mr. Al. I hope you can compromise, just this once. It will greatly help both Miss Yura and yourself."

Al's mind froze. Telepathy. The words were cold, heavy, impossible to ignore.

"What do you mean? I never agreed to be part of this," he muttered back in the privacy of his own mind.

"You've already taken payment. Take responsibility. Or are you just a cowardly man with no pride?" Devy's reply came sharp, cutting deep. Her face remained expressionless, but her eyes pressed on Al, challenging him at the very core.

"Argh… don't talk to me about pride when you're the ones throwing money around for something this ridiculous," Al grumbled bitterly. He dragged a hand across his face, visibly frustrated, before finally surrendering to the situation.

"Payment is still payment. Responsibility is still responsibility," Devy said flatly, leaving no room for argument.

Al exhaled heavily, the sound of his sigh long and burdened. He let Yura cling to him—for now. He decided he would deal with the matter after David and the others were gone.

"What?!" Clarista gasped in disbelief. Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening as though she could no longer contain her shock.

"You… with that boy? That's impossible!" David shouted louder still, his voice echoing until a few bystanders turned their heads. "Yura… tell me you're joking!" His steps quickened toward her, his tone trembling between anger and panic.

"And what's so wrong if I date him?" Yura asked coolly, tilting her head toward Al with a soft smile that brimmed with challenge. She even tightened her grip on his arm, making her stance crystal clear.

"Yura, are you insane? He's just a—" David abruptly cut himself off. His jaw clenched, lips trembling, unable to say the word that hovered on his tongue. Not with Clarista standing right there. He couldn't spit out something that cruel.

"A what?" Yura's voice sharpened, her gaze like daggers. The garden seemed to hold its breath once more.

"I-I mean… he's just so… ordinary. Not someone who suits you. Please, be reasonable." David's voice faltered, shrinking under the weight of his own shame.

Yura's brows furrowed slightly, irritation flickering across her face. Her fingers tapped lightly against Al's arm, a restrained signal of her annoyance.

"What's wrong with him? He's cute enough. And most importantly… he looks submissive. Doesn't that make him perfect for me?" she countered without hesitation.

"Didn't you once say a bidet was cuter than me?" Al whispered, his tone carrying a low growl. His jaw clenched, teeth grinding in suppressed anger.

"Quiet. Let me handle this," Yura whispered back, shooting him a brief, piercing glance before turning her cold smile back toward David.

Al simply turned his face away, acting as if he no longer cared. He drew in a long breath, feigning indifference, though the corner of his eye still flicked toward David with a flicker of satisfaction he could not quite conceal. Deep inside, he was pleased—pleased to see David lose his composure right in front of him. And because that small victory was not enough, Al decided to add just a little more oil to the fire that was already raging out of control.

"David. Aren't you supposed to be engaged to that Nayala girl? So why are you making such a fuss over another woman now?" Al asked in a calm tone, sounding almost sincere.

On the surface, he looked as though he truly cared about David's situation. Yet, underneath, his words dripped with provocation. His lazy gesture made it worse, as if he had just tossed a dagger into the middle of a battlefield while comfortably leaning back.

David froze, utterly taken aback. Especially because the one mocking him was none other than the figure he so desperately wanted to defeat. His face flushed crimson, his eyes trembled, and his fists clenched so tightly that the sound of cracking joints echoed faintly in the tense air.

You… how dare you… you orphan brat.

David's inner voice hissed like the sound of a serpent, filled with nothing but venom and hatred.

He tried—he really tried—to contain his boiling emotions. His chest rose and fell rapidly, breaths coming out harsh and ragged.

"Yura, don't listen to him. He doesn't know anything," David burst out, his tone sharp, his voice louder than before. It was aggressive, rough, and carried a hostility he could no longer hide.

"David, enough. Even if Al hadn't said it, I've long known about that woman, Nayala." Yura's reply came cold and flat. Her patience had already worn thin, and her expression showed she wanted nothing more than to leave this place. Her words were spoken with indifference, but her eyes were like sharpened blades, cutting straight into David's pride.

Then, turning her attention to Al, she added,

"I don't think this place is suitable. Let's go somewhere else, baby."

The word darling left her lips in a tone that was soft, even tender, yet every syllable carried a deliberate weight, a pointed emphasis that froze the atmosphere around them.

Al stiffened. That affectionate address unsettled him in ways he didn't want to admit. His shoulders slumped slightly, his face tightened, and his discomfort was painfully obvious. But he forced a nod and went along. Together, they walked away, arms linked even tighter than before. Their synchronized steps and the faint rhythm of their shoes against the floor only sharpened the sting for those watching.

David's discomfort grew unbearable. In a sudden burst of impulse, he moved forward and shoved Al.

"You! Stop touching her!" David's shout cracked the air. His voice trembled with raw emotion, so loud and sharp that the atmosphere in the room vibrated with it.

The shove sent Al stumbling. His body tilted off balance before hitting the floor with a dull thud, the scrape of fabric and the impact against the ground echoing clearly. The area fell into a stunned silence. Yet for Al, this was not an accident—this was a chance, one he had intentionally taken, a way to slip free from Yura's grip.

Clarista, who had been silently watching, clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles trembled. Her teeth bit into her lip, but she held herself back from openly scolding her brothers. In her eyes, David was undeniably too aggressive, too reckless. And yet, she still blamed Al as the root of the problem. To her, Yura had always seemed more fitting to stand by David's side, not Al's.

Fani, meanwhile, only grew more convinced that she had been right about her decision.

Good thing I stayed away from him. He's absolutely disgusting, Fani thought.

And yet, her eyes kept following Al, almost against her will. Her heart tightened uncomfortably when she saw him fall. A strange feeling stirred within her, something she refused to name, something that made her uneasy when she saw Yura take him away.

Back to David.

Yura's gaze snapped to Al, who had fallen, and before anyone could react—

SLAAP!

The sharp crack of a slap rang out, echoing through the area. The sound was so loud, so raw, that everyone within earshot felt their skin crawl.

The blow landed squarely on David's cheek.

"How dare you lay a hand on my boyfriend!" Yura snarled, her voice no longer soft but brimming with a vicious edge. Her eyes gleamed with a predatory sharpness, her sweet smile gone, replaced by the cold glint of a predator ready to strike.

The weight of her killing intent pressed down on David, suffocating the air itself. People nearby felt it instantly—the suffocating heaviness, as if gravity itself had doubled. It was a suffocating aura, a declaration that she could destroy David where he stood.

And yet, even in that state, Yura turned quickly to Al. Kneeling beside him, she reached for his arm gently, her gaze soft and filled with care. The contrast was jarring: just seconds ago she had been a predator, now she was a tender partner. She helped him to his feet, her hands carefully checking if he had been hurt.

David, overwhelmed by frustration, had no chance to summon his magical power in time. The slap had left its mark—not only burning pain on his cheek but also a deep wound in his pride. His head snapped to the side, his lip split slightly, and his fists trembled violently as he struggled to contain the wrath boiling inside him.

And then—

SWOOSHHHH!

A wave of dark energy surged from deep within the Virellano residence. A low whispering sound filled the air, like a thousand ghostly voices carried by the wind. Everyone who felt it shuddered, their skin crawling at the sinister presence. The energy felt like fury itself, a wrath that had awoken to defend David.

Fani and Devy felt the chill at once. Fani clutched her mouth, suppressing the sickness that welled up, while Devy narrowed her eyes, straining to sharpen her senses against the ominous force.

Even Vianna, Dedy, and Uncle Acok, who had been training with the Virellano family's soldiers in the hall, sensed the disturbance. Their drills ceased in an instant, the clash of weapons silenced. A tense stillness fell. Dedy immediately rushed inside, chasing the origin of the energy.

Al felt it too, as clear as anyone. His pupils narrowed, his body stiffened, his expression hardened. There was no mistaking it.

This was dangerous—terribly dangerous.

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