Unbelievable!
Seeing Darius still talking so confidently, Seraphina and her parents were almost furious.
Had six years in prison damaged his brain?
Seraphina directly shoved her phone into Darius’s hand.
“Okay.
Didn’t you say you could make the Ashbourne Family bow their heads with just one word?
Here, prove it!
I want to see how you’re going to make the Ashbourne Family bow down!” “I…” Darius was momentarily speechless.
With just one word from him, the Ashbourne Family could be destroyed.
But he had given them one month.
It would be too boring to destroy them now and there.
“See?
You can’t do it!” Seraphina snatched the phone back angrily “Then don’t make promises you can’t keep!” Malcolm and Helena moved to push Darius away.
“Leave.
Now.
Our family doesn’t welcome you.
We have to go to the family banquet!” “Wait.” Seraphina’s voice stopped them.
Both of them turned to look at her “Seraphina?” She looked at Darius.
Six years had passed.
She had spent those years telling herself she had moved on, that one day she would forget him completely.
But the moment he appeared at her door, she realised she hadn’t.
Not entirely.
She didn’t know what would happen next.
She didn’t know whether she could forgive him for everything that had happened, or whether they could ever go back to what they once were.
But one thing was clear.
She wasn’t ready to let him go again “Mom.
Dad.” Seraphina took a breath “Let him come inside.” Malcolm frowned.
“What do you mean?” Seraphina looked at Darius once more.
Then she said quietly but firmly, “I won’t remarry.” A brief silence followed “My husband is back.” Malcolm and Helena couldn’t stop Seraphina, so they had no choice but to let Darius inside.
Seraphina took Darius to her bedroom “Since you’re back, you’re still my husband.” She looked at him seriously.
“I don’t care about the rumours.
Besides, I believe you’re innocent.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the Ashbourne Family framed you.” Darius’s heart warmed.
She believed him.
That was enough.
“But you have to promise me something,” Seraphina continued.
“Start from scratch.
Find a job, rebuild your life, and take things one step at a time.
I know what you’re capable of.
You can build yourself back up.” She hesitated before continuing.
“You’ve been away for six years.
Things have changed, and you can’t expect everything to go back to the way it was overnight.” She looked at him.
“Give yourself five years.
In five years, if you can build a stable life for yourself, we’ll deal with everything else then.” Darius shook his head “No.” Seraphina frowned “You only need to give me one month.” He looked at her calmly “And within that month, I’ll make the Ashbourne Family…” “Shut up!!!
I don’t want to hear you say that it’s unrealistic!
Isn’t it good for us to be realistic?” She sighed, her voice softening.
“Even if you have nothing right now, you can start over.
Just take it one step at a time.
I believe you can make something of yourself again.” Darius obediently fell silent.
Seraphina opened the cabinet and took out a neatly folded suit.
“I bought this for you six years ago.” She held it out to him “I kept it all this time.
I didn’t know if you’d ever come back, but…
I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away.” She looked at him for a moment before adding, “Now change quickly.
We’re going to the family dinner together.” Darius looked at the suit, then set it aside without taking his eyes off Seraphina.
Step by step, he closed the distance between them.
His presence suddenly felt overwhelming.
Up close, the breadth of his chest and his sharp, striking features made Seraphina forget what she was about to say.
After six years apart, seeing him this close felt strangely unfamiliar—and yet painfully familiar at the same time.
Before she could process how close he was, Darius slid an arm around her waist and pulled her gently against him.
Seraphina gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.
Then he kissed her.
The kiss was slow and deep, carrying everything neither of them had been able to say after six years apart.
For a moment, Seraphina forgot about the years between them.
When Darius finally pulled away, his dark eyes remained fixed on hers.
Seraphina stood there, breathless and flushed, her thoughts completely scattered.
She swallowed, trying desperately to regain her composure.
“Seraphina, what are you doing with him?” Seeing Darius, Malcolm and Helena were naturally unhappy.
Seraphina slipped her arm around Darius’s and held onto him.
“Mom, Dad, he’s my husband.
I’ll explain everything to Grandpa tonight.” Malcolm frowned.
“Seraphina, he just got out of prison.
He’s been away for six years.
What are you going to do if he can’t find a job or get back on his feet?” Helena looked at her daughter worriedly.
“And your grandfather has already arranged another marriage for you.
Once he finds out you’re taking Darius back, do you think he’ll just let it go?” Seraphina didn’t let go of Darius’s arm.
“I know.
But I’ve made up my mind.” Malcolm and Helena exchanged a helpless look.
They were worried about their daughter, not because they hated Darius, but because they knew how difficult the road ahead would be.
Finally, Malcolm sighed.
“Fine.
But Seraphina, think carefully.
We just don’t want to see you get hurt again.” The Gilded Restaurant.
The Vale Family banquet was being held here.
The Vale Family was naturally stronger than an ordinary wealthy family like the Ashbourne Family, but it was still only a middle-tier family in Ravenmere City.
For tonight’s banquet, they had booked the entire restaurant.
When the four of them Malcolm, Helena, Seraphina, and Darius entered the banquet hall, one after another, curious and mocking gazes fell on them.
Seraphina and Darius had been married before.
Back then, Malcolm’s family had held a fairly high position within the Vale Family.
But after Darius’s downfall, everything had changed.
Today, Malcolm’s family had become the most miserable branch of the Vale Family, and their status was also the lowest.
Whenever they met their relatives, they were ridiculed “Huh?
Is the person next to Seraphina…
Darius?” “Yeah!
It really is him!
Is he out of prison?” The moment the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the banquet hall subtly changed.
One by one, eyes turned toward Darius.
Whispers spread through the crowd, mixed with curious and mocking looks.
Some guests openly stared at him, while others leaned toward their companions and quietly discussed his past.
Augustus Vale, the patriarch of the Vale Family, noticed the commotion.
He glanced at Darius and the others, then his expression immediately darkened.
With a cold snort, he turned away as if they weren’t worth acknowledging.
There was no welcome.
No greeting.
Not even the slightest sign that Darius had once been Seraphina’s husband.
These days, Augustus’s favorite branch of the family was that of his eldest son, Percival.
The main reason was Percival’s son-in-law, Sebastian Hawthorne.
He was mixed-race, came from a wealthy family, and had lived overseas for many years.
In Augustus’s eyes, Sebastian was far more valuable to the family than Darius could ever be.
And tonight, Augustus had arranged for Seraphina to marry Sebastian’s younger brother, Tristan Hawthorne.
Tristan had coveted Seraphina’s beauty for a long time.
Now that Darius had suddenly returned, the atmosphere surrounding the banquet had become even more uncomfortable.