Chris stood calmly, facing the hundred dark muzzles pointed directly at him. He smirked, indifferent, as if the threat meant nothing.
Just one Wind family? A mere merchant clan, one of the four salt-trading families in Riverton. To Chris, who was Amerosia Primus, even the prestigious Frost family or Noire family-two of Middleton’s ten noble families-were beneath his notice. How could the Wind family possibly matter to him?
“Young man, you’d better kneel and apologize to my daughter right now, or you’re as good as dead!” Frances Wind snarled at Chris, his face menacing with fury.
The tension in the room thickened, the air heavy with the anticipation of an impending clash. Just as the situation was about to explode, a stern voice cut through the chaos.
“Stop this at once!”
Everyone turned toward the source of the commanding voice. Grigor Wind, the patriarch of the Wind family, appeared, supported by Leif Wind. All eyes fell on him. Frances Wind immediately stepped forward, his demeanor shifting to one of deference.
“Father, why are you here?” Frances asked, his tone humble.
Grigor glared at his son with sharp disapproval. “If I hadn’t come, you would’ve caused a disaster!”
Frances blinked in confusion. “What do you mean, Father? How could I possibly have caused a disaster?”
“Hmph!” Grigor scoffed. “Do you even know who Chris is? He is an honored guest of the Wind family! And yet you had the audacity to aim guns at him. Do you think I’m already dead and buried, that my authority means nothing to you?”
“What?! He’s an honored guest of the Wind family?” Frances was stunned. This Chris-wasn’t he just a stray man Lindsay had brought home? Since when had he become an esteemed guest of the family?
Before Frances could process what was happening, Grigor approached Chris. His face bore an expression of deep regret as he said, “Chris, I apologize for my son’s rudeness. I hope you can forgive him. Please, don’t take his offense to heart.”
Grigor turned to the assembled guards, his gaze cold and commanding. “Stand down. All of you!”
With that order, the hundred-strong Wind family guards immediately withdrew. Grigor Wind’s authority as the family patriarch was absolute. As long as he lived, his word was law.
Chris waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. This is a minor issue; I didn’t even think twice about it.”
Grigor let out a sigh of relief. However, Frances Wind couldn’t contain his frustration. He stepped forward, his voice filled with disbelief. “Father, he’s just a kept man living off a woman. Why are you treating him with such respect?”
To Frances, Chris was nothing more than a freeloader clinging to Lindsay. The idea that such a man dared to hit his daughter was outrageous. And now, seeing his father treat Chris with such reverence, Frances simply couldn’t understand it.
Grigor’s gaze sharpened, and he scolded his son angrily, “Do you even know who Chris is? He’s a recipient of the Monster Badge!”
“What? He has the Monster Badge?” Frances was utterly shocked.
The news of Ray Thompson, the heir of the Thompson family, passing the Monster Camp trial and earning the prestigious Monster Badge had already created a sensation across Riverton. As the acting leader of the Wind family, Frances was well aware of its significance.
But Chris? He had also earned a Monster Badge? That was no ordinary achievement. The Monster Badge was awarded only to the top performer of the Monster Camp trials. Anyone who possessed it was destined for greatness.
Realizing this, Frances quickly adjusted his attitude. His face softened into a smile as he addressed Chris. “Mr. Shelby, I apologize for earlier. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Chris ignored Frances entirely. Instead, his gaze shifted coldly to Emily, who stood nearby. “Emily, remember what I said. If you ever dare harm Lindsay again, I won’t let you off so easily.”
Emily’s face turned pale with anger and humiliation. Chris had just threatened her in front of so many people. It was an unforgivable insult.
Without waiting for a response, Chris turned and left with Lindsay and the others.
After they left, Emily clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with fury. She looked at Frances and hissed through gritted teeth, “Father, Chris had the audacity to hit me. This cannot end here!”
Frances’ face darkened with thought. “Emily, it seems Chris’s background is far more significant than we imagined. The fact that he has the Monster Badge means we must investigate his identity thoroughly before making any moves. Only once we understand who he really is can we act against him.”
Frances knew all too well that anyone capable of earning the Monster Badge was no ordinary individual. For Chris to behave so boldly within the Wind family’s domain, he must have had powerful backing. Acting recklessly without understanding his connections could lead to disaster.
But Emily was unmoved by her father’s caution. To her, Chris was nothing more than a freeloading pretty boy. The slap she had received from him burned in her memory, and she had no intention of letting it go.
—
Walking down the road, Lindsay glanced at Chris with worry written all over her face. “Mr. Shelby, you’ve gotten yourself into trouble with Emily because of me. She’s vindictive. She won’t let this go easily. Mr. Shelby, this is really just a Wind family matter-it has nothing to do with you. Maybe you should leave the Wind family for now.”
Lindsay felt guilty. Chris had only ended up in this situation because he had stepped in to protect her. If not for her, he wouldn’t have made an enemy of Emily. She blamed herself entirely for dragging him into this mess.
Chris, however, looked utterly unconcerned. “Emily is nothing. She doesn’t scare me. Lindsay, you’re not just my friend; you’re also Esther’s best friend. If I left now, Emily would definitely come for you. And if anything happened to you, how would I explain it to Esther? So no, I’m not leaving.”
“Mr. Shelby… thank you!” Lindsay’s eyes shimmered with gratitude. Her heart was deeply moved by Chris’s words.
If Chris weren’t already married, she might have considered offering her heart to him at that very moment. What woman wouldn’t want a man like Chris, someone who made her feel so safe and protected? No matter what happened, Chris was always ready to face it for her. That sense of security was intoxicating.
But… Chris was already taken. Lindsay knew all too well about the deep bond between Chris and Esther. She had no chance. Not in this lifetime.
—
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Wind family estate, Emily sat in a dimly lit room, her expression dark with hatred.
“Tony, I have a job for you,” she said, her voice cold and resolute. “I want you to kill someone. His name is Chris. He’s that stray man Lindsay brought back to the family. If you do this for me, I’ll pay you five million dollars once it’s done.”
Across from her, a man with a sharp, dangerous gaze nodded, his aura brimming with menace. Emily’s humiliation burned in her chest. Since her father refused to avenge her, she would take matters into her own hands. Chris had slapped her. He had humiliated her. And she would make him pay.