Chapter 3

Yulia Yates’ parents were waiting for them in their study by the time she and Yakov Xayarath returned.

“Mom, Dad, why did you come over?”

“How did it go? You went to celebrate your grandmother’s birthday, she must be elated, right? What did she say?” Cecelia Lane asked anxiously gripping her daughter’s shoulder.

Entering the doors, Richard sat on the couch and lit a cigarette reticently.

Richard Yates was reluctant with coming to his daughter’s home, mainly because of Yakov. Every time the duo met, it felt like looking at someone who was in the same boat as you. As far as Richard himself was concerned, they were both losers.

The more so it was, the more Richard did not want to meet Yakov.

Yulia left nothing out as she narrated the happenings of the banquet to her mother.

In return, she was rewarded with a Cecelia that seemed to have gone crazy. “Yulia! What were you thinking? How could you accept something like that? We won’t get one cent of the inheritance if we get thrown out of the Yates Clan! Don’t you know that?”

“Aren’t you just making it easy for Rohann’s family then? Can’t you tell what their intentions are?”

Annoyed, Yulia pushed her mother away. “I just don’t want us to be disrespected anymore, Mom, haven’t we gone through enough?”

“Still, you can’t just agree to something like that. This is the Kierra group we’re talking about, do you even know which direction their entrance faces? Who are you to them? What gave you the idea that they’d open their doors for you?”

Yulia frowned and turned to ask Yakov, “Yakov, do you recognize the President of Kierra?”

Yakov Xayarath shook his head.

“Then do you have business with the Kierra Group?”

Yakov Xayarath shook his head again.

What on earth? He did not even know what the sierra Group does, let alone recognize their President.

Was that important knowledge? With his power from the Dragon King Hall, one word was all he needed to get the Kierra Group’s President begging on his knees. A partnership? Easy peasy.

Immediately, Yulia paled. “But you…”

Getting a glimpse of the situation, Cecelia interrupted her daughter before she could finish and began to yell her head off. “What’s happening? What does this have to do with a worthless piece of trash like you?

“Speak! Did you urge my daughter to agree on such a thing?

“Wow! What is this you worthless garbage, revenge because I didn’t treat you well by getting us thrown out of the Yates Clan? If we end up in poverty, I’ll make sure to drag you with us!”

Yulia was getting frustrated. “Enough, mom. Stop fighting, I’m getting tired. I agreed to this myself, so it’s no one fault but mine!”

“I don’t understand, Yulia. Why would your old-ass grandfather marry you to some useless sh*t for brains?”

Yakov Xayarath massaged his temples at the noise in the room. He stood up and turned to leave.

“Where’re you going, you piece of trash?”

“Buy groceries. I’m cooking dinner.”

“See? What did I say? Piece of f*cking trash!”

…

Going to the market, Yakov bought himself an old hen and a few different vegetables before he returned to the microdistrict. En route, he heard the tell-tale engine of a black limited edition Rolls-Royce as he turned around the corner.

There was a small golden figure with three pairs of wings atop the Rolls-Royce.

Seraphim. A member of the Dragon King Hall.

“My Lord.”

Exiting the Rolls-Royce was an elder with slicked-back hair in a swallowtail suit. The elder wore a stern and serious expression and gold-rimmed glasses. In one hand was a stack of documents, while the other held a small black box.

Taking the box, Yakov Xayarath opened it to find the Calescent Crystal.

“Is there anything else, Xavier? I still have to boil chicken soup for my wife.”

The elder in the swallowtail suit hardened his gaze, while he huffed hopelessly internally. Standing before him was the Head of the Dragon King Hall, a man who even governments had to treat with the utmost respect, only to be reduced to a mere househusband.

Though he would never dare say such things to Yakov Xayarath. They were to follow through without question every time the Head decided on something, or be met with a miserable demise.

“My Lord. There are a few things I have to report.”

The elder in the swallowtail suit bowed his head and spoke courteously.

“Regarding the incident where you saved Princess Karina, the British royal family wishes to meet and grant you the Hereditary peerage, Duke.”

“JK International Finance Corporation has been purchased by Midnight Prince, thus increasing the Dragon King Hall’s wealth by three hundred billion yuan.”

“Rhy Silva, the Leader of the Helia Palace that regulates Europe’s Underground network, hopes to become part of the Dragon King Hall and wishes for your approval on the matter.”

Yakov waved his hand dismissively. “What’s with all this bull. Leave them to the Archangels, and refrain from wasting my time on small matters like these in the future.”

Yakov Xayarath was about to leave before he remembered. “Oh, one more thing. There’s a Kierra Group within the Yin Prefecture that I’d like you to drop by. My wife has a partnership to discuss with them.”

“Yes. Of course, my Lord.”

...

Returning home, Yakov made a quick turn to the kitchen and began on dinner preparations.

Cecelia Lane stood by the door as she cut her fingernails. “Sign a divorce with Yulia, Yakov.”

Yakov Xayarath frowned. “Is it Yulia’s wish?”

“Does it matter if that is what she wishes or not? You being with her was a mistake. All you’ve done is drag her back!”

Internally thinking, ‘It’s not just Yulia, you’re dragging this entire family down as well. There’re numerous suitors after Yulia, each richer than the next, and are all better than you.’

‘Had Yulia never gotten married to this worthless piece of rubbish, we wouldn’t have to shamelessly beg the Yates Clan now, would we?’

“Your daughter cannot leave me,” Yakov Xayarath responded calmly.

Except for the sickly Old Master Yates, no other member of the clan respected him. They had all seen Yakov Xayarath as a mere worthless trashbag with no future.

Nobody knew that Yakov had his own reasons for staying by Yulia Yates’ side.

Yakov first met Yulia at the age of seven.

Both Yakov and his father were about the freeze to death that year, and it was only thanks to Yulia begging her father to get Yakov a blanket and two hundred bucks, that he survived the darkest winter of his life.

After his father died from sickness in the end, he went overseas and founded the Dragon King Hall. By the time he returned to the Orienta, he had become the owner of the Dragon King Hall.

His father’s dying words were, “Repay the Yates Clan for their kindness no matter what, for you would have died at the age of seven without their help.”

Within the yates Clan, only the Old Master himself was privy to Yakov Xayarath’s true identity. It explained why he single-handedly brought him and Yulia into a marriage. It was the Old Master’s wish that he takes good care of Yulia, and that the Yates Clan continues to thrive.

“Why? You’re just a worthless piece of scum. How can you be so shameless and adamant about staying?” Cecelia scoffed.

Yakov Xayarath shook his head. “Like I said. Your daughter cannot leave me. But if she really wants to leave, give me three months. Three months, then I’ll leaver alone.”

Yakov was not being shameless, but rather that Yulia was sick. Every day for the past three years, Yakov boiled chicken soup with an old hen and watched as Yulia drank it down.

“Her body was born of a cold nature. One that, without proper nurture, would kill her in three years.”

Costing five million per gram, Yakov had to purchase the Calescent Crystal secretly through the Dragon King Hall, tossed around three countries, before it could be handed to him by Xavier. Of which he then measures the correct amount, and adds it to the chicken soup.

Nobody knew of that, not even Yulia herself. The most she got was that the soup Yakov made was too heaty, which she filed as he getting back at her or something.

According to Yakov Xayarath’s calculations, Yulia only needs to drink the soup for another three months before this ‘body born of cold nature’ of hers becomes completely cured.

By then, to leave or to stay, would be for Yulia Yates to decide.