“Well, well, a joyful occasion, a great joy!” Count Owen clapped his hands and cheered, his face beaming with smiles.
“Yes, yes, double happiness today!” King George joined in with the cheer, and soon the atmosphere lightened up.
The underworld figures, now snapping out of their silence, started chatting and laughing. Though Ryan had acknowledged it, he hadn’t officially announced anything, so no one felt comfortable congratulating him. Instead, they just said a few happy words, but given their usual association with the underworld, those words didn’t hold much weight.
“Look at that, we were a little late to the news, huh? Mr. Kevin and Mr. Ryan are really close,” Prince William said with a wide grin, watching the two men.
King George laughed. “Yes, of course.”
It was impressive how these people could spin a bad situation into something good. They really had no shame, but somehow, they managed to lighten the mood. However, Ryan and Kevin both remained unfazed-Ryan still coldly watching everyone from above, while Kevin leaned back in his chair, his smile both bloodthirsty and elegant, clearly uninterested in what these people had to say.
“Time’s up, the wedding begins,” the official called loudly when the clock struck eight. The grand ceremony in the Roman-style castle was set to showcase the strong union between the two families.
Echo couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as she observed the strict formalities and protocols. Every gesture, every movement of the bride and groom was highly regulated. Even bending down seemed to have a precise angle, no less than 30 degrees. Everything was so meticulous, so refined, it felt like a royal wedding.
Seeing how seriously Echo was paying attention, Edward subtly drew a few words in her palm. Echo felt the touch, staying calm and unchanging, but her focus shifted.
She had originally thought her own wedding would be something like this-nothing wrong with paying attention. But the complexity of these rituals caught her off guard. Edward had reminded her that she wasn’t supposed to focus solely on the wedding itself. Instead, she needed to keep an eye on the people in the hall. It was rare for so many important figures to be gathered in one place, and even if she couldn’t remember everyone’s name or match faces to titles, it would be beneficial to recognize their faces for future reference.
After all, these weren’t small-time players, and it wasn’t like they’d be switching allegiances every other day. Getting familiar with them could only bring benefits, no harm.
She didn’t have time to pay attention earlier, but now, as she casually glanced around, she didn’t recognize anyone. However, she did know the heads of state from the big countries, but none of them were present. It was obvious they were hiding in the back, not showing up.
The wedding was still going on-lively, formal, and still serving its purpose.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Kevin didn’t seem to care about what was happening around them. The wedding was just a facade, a reason to bring them here. Neither of them had the time or interest to watch the ceremony. One remained silent, the other lightly smiled, but both exuded the same arrogance, the same dominance, the same untouchable presence.
The two powerful auras clashed at the highest point of the hall, neither giving way. On the surface, it seemed like nothing was happening, but the tension in the air-one hard and domineering, the other cold and intimidating-was building, and the guests couldn’t help but feel it. They all stayed quiet, maintaining the ceremony’s formality, their eyes lowering slightly but flickering with an unreadable gleam.
The wedding itself was just a formality, something to get through. Everyone was really waiting for what came after-that was the real deal. But still, the formality had to be observed.
There was no priest, no talk of faith or eternal life-those weren’t the values of the underworld. The elders of the family were the highest authority, but if there were more important figures, the bride and groom would pay their respects to them. This was all about the survival rule where strength was everything.
Echo watched as Ryan and Kevin blessed the newlyweds. Originally, they were supposed to kiss the couple on the forehead, but since Ryan avoided anything that involved women, he changed it to present gifts. So, it was Kevin who kissed both the groom and the bride, while Ryan only made a gesture toward kissing the groom, leaving the bride aside.
It was an odd scene. Honestly, it was rare for someone so young to be in such a high position in the underworld’s top families. Seeing nearly his own age perform these elder-like actions made Echo raise an eyebrow in subtle confusion. But it seemed like no one else found it strange. In the underworld, where power was everything, age didn’t matter-the strength was what counted.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” King George declared loudly after Ryan and Kevin had finished their blessing.
Normally, it would’ve been Ryan or Kevin to announce it, but it didn’t really matter who said it, and neither of them seemed interested in playing the role of officiant.
“Ceremony complete,” the celebrant called out once the most important part of the wedding was over.
The music started, and the newlyweds took the floor for their first dance. The formal atmosphere was replaced by something completely elegant and soft. If the earlier moments were strict and solemn, now it was all about lightheartedness and comfort, perfectly fitting the underworld’s approach-do what you want, no second thoughts. The guests in the hall moved aside, giving the couple the center stage. Instead of a wedding march, the music had a bit more of a bold, energetic rhythm, amplifying the lively mood.
Seeing this, Ryan showed no interest. He stood up and motioned for Echo and the others to follow him out. The wedding had been formal and simple-everything had been done by the book. The rest of the ceremony didn’t require their attention, and Ryan had no desire to stick around.
“Future mistress of the Dark family, I wonder if I have the honor of inviting you for a dance?” Just as Ryan stood up, Kevin smiled lightly, walked over, and extended his hand toward Echo.
The room immediately fell into a heavy silence. Even with the music playing, you could still feel the tension in the air.
Everyone pretended not to notice, but all eyes were on Ryan, waiting to see how he’d react.
Echo raised an eyebrow as she looked at Kevin, who was smiling politely at her. His elegance was mixed with a clear challenge, and he didn’t even try to hide his intentions or actions.
Ryan frowned, his face darkening as a chill spread through the room. People standing nearby instinctively took a step back.
King George, Prince William, and Count Andy all stood frozen, frowning deeply. They weren’t sure whether to approach or stay put.
Given Kevin’s position, asking Ryan’s future wife was perfectly within reason-except for the fact that the two families were bitter enemies at the moment. So, Kevin was technically in the right, sticking to the rules. But seeing Ryan’s tense posture, it was clear that something felt off, and no one was sure how to handle it.
Ryan stared into Kevin’s eyes, the air around him growing colder with a murderous edge. Before he could speak, Echo suddenly reached out and took Ryan’s hand, offering Kevin a graceful smile.
“Of course, I’m honored,” she said.
Ryan was furious that Echo had agreed, and immediately turned to look at her, his expression dark.
Echo smiled sweetly at him and said, “But this is such a rare occasion. For my first dance, I’d like to dance with my future husband.” She flashed a radiant smile at Ryan, and seeing that, his anger seemed to dissipate, though he still looked at her.
Echo gave him another smile before turning back to Kevin, keeping a polite expression. “Would Mr. Kevin mind?” she asked.
Her words were so well chosen, that they almost sounded like she was in the right more than Kevin. He smiled and quickly withdrew his hand, saying, “Of course, I don’t mind.”
Echo grinned, then gently pulled Ryan toward the dance floor.
Everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Everyone knew Ryan’s temper-no one would dare steal someone from him, and the consequences would be severe. But Kevin wasn’t one to back down easily either. The brief moment of tension had almost escalated into something bigger, but now it had been defused, and the atmosphere was back to calm, if a little charged.
As Ryan and Echo made their way to the dance floor, the crowd parted to give them space, their eyes fixed on Ryan. Over the years, everyone had heard plenty of rumors, but no one had ever seen Ryan dance. A man who wasn’t interested in women-would he actually dance with a woman? Or would he find another man to dance with? No one in the room had the guts to suggest it, so now they just watched in awe.
Ryan, as Echo led him to the dance floor, shot her a glare, his face still slightly pale. He’d learned a lot in his life, he could do anything, survive any danger-but dancing? That was something he had no time for, and he didn’t believe anyone had the right to see him do it. But now, there was no one else who could take his place on that dance floor.