"James, think carefully about who I am in the Dandelion," said Darus in a deep and cold voice. "You will regret your actions today!""Are you threatening me?" A cold gleam flashed in James’s eyes.Slap! Slap!Two hard slaps landed on Darus’s left and right cheeks. His face immediately swelled, blood dripped from his nose, and his breath trembled with anger and humiliation.James looked at him coldly. "If it weren’t out of respect for Tjah Nelton, you and your daughter would already be dead."Darus froze in confusion. He took a deep breath, but an ominous feeling struck his chest.Tjah! The moment that name left James’s mouth, Darus shuddered in fear."Your daughter has provoked me several times. I did not care," said James slowly but sharply. "But what I cannot tolerate is that she dared to offend my wife."His eyes narrowed. "And you... came here demanding that I kneel without reason? Who do you think you are?"James exhaled slowly. His voice was calm, but the pressure in it was suff

Darus immediately dropped himself lower, his knees pressing against the cold marble floor until his body was almost prostrated at James’s feet. His trembling voice escaped his lips. “Elder James... I am guilty. My daughter and I have been insolent... please forgive us.”Mariana, who was standing behind him, finally bowed as well, her face turning pale. She glanced at her father for a moment, but that look quickly turned into resignation. She knelt beside him, her hands shaking.Without hesitation, Darus bent even lower and kissed James’s shoes. “Forgive me... please forgive me, Elder...” he whispered weakly, almost inaudible. With tears streaming down his face, he trembled as he licked the shoes.Mariana bit her lip hard, shame and fear mixing within her. But James’s cold gaze made her too afraid to resist. She bowed deeper and followed her father’s action, her voice trembling. “Forgive us, Mr. James... we didn’t know who you truly are... we were wrong...”Sheva, who was standing be