Laughter and conversation danced around the table, the clinking of silverware and the warm glow of the fireplace painting a picture of festive cheer. Daniel, his mind strategically maneuvering a few slivers of steak onto his plate, felt a flicker of movent in the corner of his eye. It was Greed, subtly gesturing for him to remain seated.
A mont later, the insistent ring of the doorbell echoed through the house. Daniel's gaze darted towards the direction of the front door past the living room. He was about to stand up to check on the door but a nudge stopped him.
"It's ok, Danny, leave it to ." Greed said, her voice laced with a hint of happiness as she rose from her seat. Her blue eyes sparkled with an understanding mixed with curiosity as she stood up from her seat and walked toward the door.
Ding dong…
The insistent jingle of the doorbell pierced the festive atmosphere. Greed, her brow furrowing slightly, excused herself from the table. Reaching for her phone, she swiftly accessed the custom app linked to the doorbell cara.
A face materialized on the screen, instantly twisting Greed's features into a grimace. It was none other than Garret Vance, the epito of a charming yet utterly persistent pest.
Golden hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a smile that could lt glaciers - Garret possessed the undeniable allure of a successful businessman, a "husband material" as so might say. But beneath that facade lurked a hint of arrogance, a telltale sign of his upbringing in a privileged household.
Greed's mind raced. Garret Vance, the son of Alexander Vance, head of the Vance Holding Corporation - the second-largest company in the US, a re notch below her own Golden Empire Group. Their business spanned from real estate and banking to hospitals, energy, and even weapon manufacturing.
A glint of steel flickered in her blue eyes. Alexander Vance's past ambitions – a rger fueled by a strategic marriage – were nothing new. The notion had been swiftly extinguished years ago upon the revelation of her true identity.
But now, with the recent Grand Alteration spell erasing all mories of magic, could the Vance family be harboring renewed aspirations? Was Garret's unexpected Christmas Eve visit a calculated attempt to rekindle their old ambitions?
A flicker of festive cheer dimd in Greed's eyes as she stared at Garret Vance's face on the screen. A knot of irritation tightened in her gut. She had clearly stated to the man – no intrusions, especially not on a night of Christmas Eve reserved for her family and cherished friends.
The bigger concern, however, was the glaring security lapse. This secluded mansion was a closely guarded secret, accessible only to the highest echelons of the Golden Empire. The knowledge of its existence reaching an outsider, particularly soone like Vance, spoke volus. A mole lurked within her ranks of trusted advisors and secretaries in her company.
A steely glint hardened Greed's gaze. The festive spirit took a backseat in her mind. The first order of business: a discreet yet thorough internal investigation. Whoever dared to peddle her private information to the Vances would face a consequence!
"Ding ding…"
Once again, the doorbell rang, The insistent "ding-dong" shattered the festive cheer, each chi scraping against Greed's already frayed nerves. She turned towards Sylvana, who was happily eating with her adorable, ssy face covered in oil and sauce.
Greed felt the urge to pick up little Sylvana and go answer the doorbell with her, showing the persistent pest nad Garret Vance that she already had a daughter with her beloved Daniel and to make him imdiately give up.
However, she knew that with the Vance family's resources, an investigation from them would reveal that Sylvana was adopted, possibly making them even more persistent in the future. The best solution would be to let her beloved, Daniel, settle this issue, but she didn't want to overburden him with her problems. It made her feel useless.
Greed furrowed her brow in thought, and Daniel could sense her inner turmoil, realizing that it likely had sothing to do with whoever was at the front door.
"Maybe I should be the one to answer the doorbell," Daniel said as he stood up.
Greed wanted to stop him, but Koyuki, her friend, touched her hand, signaling for her to let their husband handle whoever was at the front door.
At that mont, Daniel arrived at the front door and opened it, revealing a blond-haired man with blue eyes and a charming smile.
"Hello, Vicky, this is for you," the man said, offering a red rose to Daniel without looking up, unaware of Daniel's darkening expression as he didn't look at the door. He then swiftly produced a small box and extended it towards Daniel, who stood before him. Opening it, the man revealed a diamond ring.
However, as the blond man finally took a good look at the figure in front of him, he saw Daniel with his darkened expression, broad shoulders, and lean, muscular physique, hinting at explosive power hidden beneath his brown sweater and white shirt. It beca evident to the blond man that the man before him could easily knock him out with a single punch.
"I'm sorry, but I already have wives, and I'm not interested in n," Daniel said coldly.
The door slamd shut with a decisive finality. A satisfied smirk played on Greed's lips. This unexpected turn of events was far more entertaining than the confrontation she'd envisioned. Daniel, her beloved, had handled the situation swiftly and efficiently.
Greed couldn't help but pump her fist in satisfaction. It fulfilled a deep-seated desire within her. She had always wanted to do this, but she knew that making an enemy out of the Vance family would only bring her endless annoyance.
Unlike Daniel, she wasn't inclined to deal with pesky businessn through threats or a brief visit from the Italian mafia, preferring to adhere to Envy's teachings by avoiding violence unless absolutely necessary.
Knock!Knock!Knock!Knock!Knock!Knock!
A rapid series of insistent knocks shattered the silence, further darkening Daniel's already strained expression. He grasped the doorknob, his grip tightening with each unanswered thud.
The door swung open once more, revealing a flustered Garret. Before Daniel could react, the blond man lunged forward, attempting to force his way past. Daniel, however, stood firm, an immovable obstacle in a casual sweater and khakis.
A mont of struggle ensued, the air thick with tension. Finally, Garret t Daniel's steely gaze, his initial bluster replaced by simring fury.
"Move aside, you mutt!" he snarled. "You're just a bodyguard, and you dare to block my path!? Don't you know who my father is?"
Daniel's lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. A single eyebrow rose in amusent. "Why?" he drawled. "Is your mother too carefree during her high school? How the f*ck would I know?"
With this retort, Greed felt elated and excited, experiencing a rush of exhilaration similar to that of her favorite soccer team scoring a goal in the final round of the championship world cup!
Garret was stunned for a few seconds before registering and processing Daniel's words. After a brief mont, Garret's face flushed with anger, and he swiftly drew a gun from under his long winter coat, pointing it at Daniel's head.
"You damn lowly mutt! Die!" Garret shouted in anger as his finger tightened on the trigger... but after a few futile attempts to fire the gun, nothing happened.
Garret's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that Daniel's left hand had prevented the gun hamr from striking, rendering the weapon useless. How had he not even noticed Daniel's movents?
This sudden revelation struck fear deep into Garret's core, leading him to assu that Daniel was likely a forr special forces or secret service operative accustod to high-risk operations.
"Rember who started this," Daniel said calmly before effortlessly disarming Garret and delivering a punch into Garret's gut, sending him sprawling to the ground. Garret lay there, doubled over and retching whatever he ate before arriving here, overwheld by fear and humiliation.
Daniel didn't wait for Garret to respond and closed the door once again before continuing his festive feast with his family.
Garret gritted his teeth and slowly rose to his feet, feeling like a defeated dog as he staggered toward where he had parked his car. "You damn mut… just you wait!" he muttered through clenched teeth, nursing his wounded pride. This humiliation would not go unanswered. He swore to himself that he would make Daniel pay for this insult, tenfold—no, a hundredfold.
Fifteen minutes later, Daniel was enjoying the feast with his family. Mammon had finally tasted his long-awaited steak, thanks to Daniel sneaking him so.
But then, a familiar sound shattered the festive atmosphere: Ding Dong…
This ti, Daniel's jovial smile turned upside down, his expression darkening with anger. He stood up from his seat, walking toward his trench coat to retrieve his trusty large-caliber handgun before heading to the door.
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