Echo stood behind Ryan, feeling for the first time what it was like to stand at the top.
Earlier, Edward had told her to “know your place, aim for the highest point in the underworld,” but she never quite understood it. Now, she was beginning to feel it. She watched as the long-established figures of the underworld below fell silent the moment Ryan entered, all showing respect as they watched him take the highest seat. No one had spoken yet.
The mix of awe, respect, and fear in the air was palpable, and even Echo, standing behind Ryan, felt the weight of it. So this is what it feels like to be above everyone. It made her realize that everyone likes to be the emperor. Even she was starting to feel a bit lofty.
Edward, who had always played the role of the weak one under Echo’s influence, noticed her shift in demeanor and shot her a disapproving glance. He discreetly pinched her hand, signaling her to tone it down. After all, she was going to be the future mistress of the Dark family. It was one thing to feel powerful in the moment, but not to get carried away, especially in such a rare and intense situation.
“Ryan, when did you start moving so slowly?” Kevin, lounging in his seat with a charming smile, looked at Ryan with an amused expression.
Ryan’s response was calm. “I’m never late.”
Kevin didn’t need to check the time to know that Ryan was punctual-his reputation for always being on time was well-known in their world. “Slow” didn’t mean late. Kevin smiled, raising his glass of wine toward Ryan.
Hawk immediately took the wine from the servant and nodded to Kevin, offering a formal, respectful gesture. Ryan never drank, so it was always Hawk who handled the toasts in his place, a well-known fact in the underworld. As a result, no one ever offered Ryan a drink directly.
Kevin, noticing this, smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “No, no. I don’t need you to accompany me.”
Hawk paused, noticing Kevin’s gaze shift toward him and then past him. He quickly realized the only person standing closest to him was Echo. Frowning slightly, Hawk stepped back, allowing Echo to step forward.
Kevin gave Echo a charming smile and said, “It’s okay that Ryan doesn’t drink, but with the future matriarch of the Dark family keeping me company, I won’t lose face.” He said it with a grin, his eyes never leaving her.
At this moment, Echo wasn’t yet in a position to claim the title of “Boss’s wife.” They had kept their relationship under wraps, giving her time to adjust. But now, Kevin, in front of the gathered underworld figures, had openly put her on the spot. It was as if he was forcing her into that position. Hawk’s face remained neutral, but internally, he was alert.
As soon as Kevin finished speaking, the already quiet hall became even more so. Everyone turned to look at Ryan and Echo, hesitant to meet Ryan’s gaze. Ninety percent of the eyes were focused on Echo.
Ryan was known for not being interested in women, so the fact that he had a woman by his side had already shocked many.
Now, hearing Kevin refer to Echo as the future mistress of the Dark family, people had no choice but to reassess their assumptions.
Echo glanced at Kevin, noticing the mischievous smile on his face. His alluring expression was hard to ignore, but the coldness in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. Echo raised an eyebrow and started to reach for the wine glass that had been handed to her.
Before she could move, Edward, who had been holding her hand, tightened his grip on it, silently stopping her. Echo, unfamiliar with such situations, stayed quiet and didn’t take the drink. Instead, she just smiled at Kevin.
Echo didn’t fully understand what was going on, but Edward probably did. He didn’t know how Kevin knew about her relationship with Ryan, but it doesn’t matter now. The only thing left was to see how Ryan would react.
Kevin was pushing Echo, and by extension, pushing Ryan. If the situation was revealed, it had to be confirmed openly. If not, Echo, with no power or influence, would eventually be taken advantage of.
Edward couldn’t afford to be associated with someone who wasn’t recognized. This was a moment to force Ryan’s decision.
“Wait,” Edward slowly traced a single word in Echo’s hand.
Though Echo didn’t get the meaning, she obeyed without question.
So, Echo just stood there behind Ryan, motionless, while Kevin took his time, holding his wine glass and watching her with a sly smile.
The entire hall was silent, the atmosphere tense and serious.
Ryan turned and shot Kevin a cold look. Kevin gave him a seductive smile, raising an eyebrow. It seemed playful, but there was nothing frivolous about his demeanor. Ryan’s brows furrowed in response, and he scanned the room.
Adolph, standing in the center of the hall, noticed Ryan’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. So, Ryan’s really making a move to solidify Echo’s position. If it weren’t for the fact that the one backing Echo was Ryan, Adolph wouldn’t have cared at all. But now, he cleared the people around him and made his way toward Ryan.
Adolph took the wine tray from the servant and, ignoring the brief stir behind him, slightly tilted his body to offer the wine to Ryan.
Ryan glanced around the hall, and though he didn’t speak, his presence alone commanded attention. He took the glass from Adolph and casually said, “Echo, pour a toast for Kevin.”
Edward immediately released Echo’s hand. Echo wasn’t foolish-Ryan’s subtle yet clear message in front of all the underworld leaders was loud and clear. She was his wife. She was the future mistress of the Dark family.
With a smile, Echo took the wine from Ryan’s hand and, turning to Kevin, said brightly, “Mr. Kevin, please.”
Kevin’s smile grew more pronounced as he nodded to Echo, replying, “Please,” before drinking it all in one go.
Having communicated with Ryan twice, Kevin didn’t need to investigate further. It was clear that with Ryan’s personality, Echo was the chosen one to be the mistress of the Dark family. And since Ryan hadn’t taken any direct action yet, it only meant one thing: he was solidifying her position and making sure she was firmly established.
The strength of the Dark family came from two things: Ryan’s immense power and the family’s unity. Over the years, their dominance in the arms trade had allowed them to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, even beginning to overshadow him a little. This kind of power was unbreakable from the outside; it could only be shaken from within.
However, Ryan’s oversight gave his opponent the opportunity to act, forcing him to take action himself to avoid being crushed by Ryan. The internal preparations weren’t enough to shake Ryan’s strength; the pressure was real, but the danger from this standoff was undeniable. So, targeting Echo as a weak point to create turmoil within the Dark family was far more effective than any external attack.
As two empty wine glasses swirled through the air, Kevin burst into laughter. Echo smiled and nodded at Kevin before turning to set her glass down. She shot a quick glance at Adolph, who had been smiling but was now glaring at her, and playfully raised an eyebrow at him.
With Adolph’s position and status, Ryan was clearly positioning him by Echo’s side, openly showing the crowd that Adolph supported her. This move was meant to gather allies for her, though whether they’d be useful was still unclear. These allies would likely intimidate outsiders, but whether they would actually stand by her within the family was another story.
Echo returned Adolph’s serious yet still smiling gaze. She knew that with Kevin’s public announcement, her path was going to get harder. It might affect Ryan’s side as well-maybe it wouldn’t-but the timing wasn’t ideal. Even if the pressure was internal and not from outside, it still disrupted their plans. She no longer had the luxury of time to grow into this position.