THE VENGEANCE OF THE WAR GOD

Chapter 5

Mr. Earnshaw scoffed at his granddaughter empty threats and said, "So you two already met. you must be fated for each other".

Dustin leaned in, and added, "Yeah, we are fated...Or do you want me to tell your father exactly where we 'met' this morning?"

"I shouldn’t have believe you in the first place when you said you will break things up" Serena hissed, her voice vibrating with a lethal edge.

She stepped closer to Dustin, her finger nearly poking his chest. "You’re nothing but a loser. A pathetic, bottom-feeding gold digger. You saw an opportunity last night, didn't you?."

Dustin remained a statue of calm, his expression unreadable. She made him feel worthless with lots of insults, her father tried to stop her but she insisted and she was so loud and hot.

"I don't care what grandfather said, I will never marry you! you this trash of a man, A piece of rag!".

"Serena, please! Control yourself!" Mr Earnshaw tried to interject, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Then face Dustin again, "Is it money you want. i will give you, You’re trying to ruin my life! We had an agreement, You said you’d cancel it!"

Dustin sighed.

Mr. Earnshaw beamed, looking between the two of them as if they were a pair of star-crossed lovers. " It’s wonderful to see you two already have such... vibrant chemistry."

"We are NOT!" Serena shrieked, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Nonsense!".

Mr. Earnshaw laughed, clapping his hands together.

"This is a day of destiny! Guards! Servants! Prepare a feast in the Great Hall immediately! The wedding is in fact holding tonight!!!"

Serena stood frozen, her mind reeling in a state of pure, paralyzed shock.

Her pride—the pride of the Queen of Winchester—was being trampled into the dirt. She had dreamed of a fiancé who was a titan, a hero, a man of power and well known who could match her beauty with his legend. Instead, she was being handed to a man she felt she could have picked up off a street corner.

What will the city say? she thought, her heart aching with bitterness.

The most beautiful woman in Winchester, sold off to a village rat.

"Finally," Thomas whispered, his voice trembling with genuine emotion.

"My long-held wish is fulfilled." He walked over to Dustin, reaching out to take his hand with a level of respect.

"You shouldn’t stand outside come in". Mr. Earnshaw invited.

Serena watched them walk away, the image of her granfather treating a clothes he could just give anyone.

"No," she whispered to the empty foyer, her eyes darkening with a cold, desperate resolve. "I will stop this marriage. I don't care what it costs. I will burn this contract myself if I have to".

In the private sitting room of the wealthy wing, Mr. Earnshaw sat across from Dustin, his posture humble.

"How are you, Young Master?" Thomas asked softly. "I heard everything that happened... I can't believe someone could do something to the Quinns. Your family—the Quinns—they were the light of this nation. So generous, so powerful.".

" To see you standing here, successful and even become the god of war... I am the fortunate one. I am lucky to have a son-in-law like you."

Dustin remembered Mr. Earnshaw from his childhood— his father closest freind.

"Serena is a good person at heart, Dustin," Thomas urged. "She’s just... spirited. Give her a chance to know the real you."

Dustin nodded politely, then he asked what caused the marriage contract from the first place.

"Young Master... I don't know.... your father saved my life then and requested this as a favor. which i'm very happy for".

Dustin just nodded. he didn’t bother to pushed forward and asked about the pendant, he decided to uncover the mystery himself. But he told mr. Earnshaw not to treat him any special, and also he should not reveal his identity to anyone. Even Serena.

"Just treat me as your ordinary son in law". He told him.

"But... I can't just....". He wanted to refuse.

"That's an order Mr. Earnshaw", He stated and Mr. Earnshaw bowed.

Meanwhile, in the upper wing of the mansion, Serena had burst into her mother’s suite. Mrs. Morgan.

She narrated the entire morning through rage—the hotel, the village boy, and her grandfather’s baffling insanity.

"And granfather wants the wedding today!" Serena wailed. "Mother, he’s a nobody! A village boy!".

"No!. not in my lifetime!". Mr. Morgan rushed out to tell Mrs. Earnshaw, her mother.

Mrs. Morgan cried out, "Please speak to father. he is trying to force marry my daughter to some village boy, who is still doing that at this century!, who is this even Village boy".

Mrs. Earnshaw explained how Mr. Earnshaw was once very terminally sick, and went to the village. maybe he got his treatment there and that was when the marriage contract happen. As a payment.

Serena shouted, "I don’t care... I can never marry a village doctor or whatsoever. this is my own life".

Mrs. Earnshaw was quite angry also, "I already told him to get rid of the contract all this time. my own granddaughter isn't marrying a village boy, i will do everything in my power to stop it".

with that, she rushed out also. Mrs. Morgan and Serena followed her out.