The Ryu Dynasty Returns

Chapter 4:

“You actually came back?”

Elias’s mocking voice echoed through the courtyard of the Chen’s residence as soon as Odessa stepped out of the car.

Several younger members of the Chen family stood behind him near the mansion entrance, their expressions filled with disdain as they glanced at Riven.

Odessa’s expression immediately turned cold as she shut the car door.

“Move aside, Elias.”

Alyssa Chen laughed lightly as her eyes slowly swept over Riven’s clothes.

“So this is the famous surviving heir of the Wei family?” She mocked. “The Zhao family must have made a mistake adopting him if he looks like this.”

The others immediately burst into laughter.

“Forget about his efforts to look like a Zhao’s family member,” One of them said with a scoff. “He doesn’t look like he can afford a decent suit.”

“This is a stain to the Chen’s family legacy!”

Elias folded his arms across his chest, a smug smile on his face.

“At the very least, the Zhao family would have atleast sent someone to accompany him….” He trailed off, his brow slightly raised. “… unless they are also embarrassed by him too.”

Odessa’s fingers curled tightly by her sides.

Since the death of her parents years ago, the younger generation of the Chen family had always found ways to ridicule and discredit her in front of Old Lady Chen.

To them, she was nothing but a servant staying under their roof. But this time, they went too far.

“I said move aside.”

Alyssa tilted her head slightly before letting out a scoff.

“Why are you getting angry, Cousin? We are only trying to look out for you,” Her gaze was mocking as she looked at Riven. “After all, nobody wants the Chen family to be treated as a joke in Kairen City.”

Throughout the exchange, Riven remained calm and quiet. His eyes moved slowly across each member of the family snickering at him and as well as the servants by the door, their gaze fixed to the ground but giggling.

Then his gaze stopped briefly on Alyssa.

“You talk too much for someone who is 4 months pregnant.”

Alyssa’s expression pale instantly. Odessa’s gaze snapped towards him and so did everyone eles’s. However, Riven remained expressionless.

A few days ago, before leaving the Zhao residence, he had spent an entire night reading through dossiers on Kairen City’s major families. Every alliance, every business rivalry, every hidden scandal had been compiled into neat files.

Most of the information was outdated.

Some wasn’t.

Alyssa Chen’s secret affair with a married celebrity doctor—and the pregnancy concealed from the Chen family—had been one of the newest reports.

He had no interest in exposing her.

She simply shouldn’t have provoked him.

“What… what are you talking about?” She stammered, cold sweat breaking out on her skin.

How did this gutter trash know about her pregnancy?

Elias turned to stare at his sister. The remaining members of the Chen family were too stunned to speak.

“Alyssa, are you pregnant?”

“Of course not!” She snapped. “How can you believe the words of a mentally unstable person?!”

Elias said nothing. His mind went back to when Riven had said something about Valentin and it turned out to be true but his sister had no boyfriend and she knew how highly their reputation was supposed to be protected.

How could she be pregnant?

Before anyone could say another word, Riven walked past them into the house alongside Odessa, who stared at Riven’s back, another suspicion flaring in her eyes.

The couple walked into the main hall and was met with the stern gaze of Old Lady Chen and the older members of the Chen family.

Whispers die down slowly as numerous eyes settled on Riven. He could see contempt in their gazes.

“Grandmother.”

Odessa greeted respectfully with a bow, nudging Riven to do the same but he paid no heed, looking straight into the old woman’s eyes, earning a frown from her.

“Who is this disrespectful and despicable being you have brought into my presence, Odessa?!” She barked.

Odessa flinched slightly under the tempo of her voice, fear visibly written on her face.

“Grandmother… this is the surviving heir of the Wei family. The man grandfather had me betrothed to,” she said without looking up.

“I see…” Old Lady Chen dragged the words out, her eyes narrowing. “Odessa, I thought I had trained you well but it seems you are hell-bent on destroying decades of hard work!—”

“—you have selfishly dragged the Chen family into ridicule just for the sake of fulfilling your dead grandfather’s unreasonable wishes!”

Odessa’s lips parted to speak in her defense but someone’s voice cut in.

“This marriage is uncalled for!” An elder barked. “Who knows whether or not this man before us all is actually the true heir of the Wei family or an imposter?”

“He is not!” Odessa’s voice rang out.

“And how sure are you?” Another elder said, his brows furrowing.

“I have seen the birthmark on his neck already,” she responded, her gaze shifting back to her grandmother. “Trust me, grandma. I will never do anything to jeopardize this family.”

Old Lady Chen gave no reply.

“This marriage must be annulled!” Another thundered. “Before the news gets to the whole of the city!”

“No!” Odessa retorted. “This was grandfather’s wish. It must be respected!”

“Wish?” Aurelius sneered. “Wish you had followed just so you can become the manager of the company.”

Riven glanced at Odessa. So she too was also promised something just so they could get married, he couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly about the ridiculousness of it all.

Seeing that Odessa had no words to say, Old Lady Chen relaxed into her chair, her fingers drumming against her cane.

Her gaze was sharp and focused entirely on Odessa.

“We cannot sit back and watch our family become a charade in the city. We have spent a long time climbing to the point that we are today. Having you as a manager of the company with a husband such as yours will ruin our reputation for good!”

“Investors will back out and we don’t want that. For these reasons, we can not let you sit on the chair of the company as the manager.”

Odessa felt all air sucked out of her as her eyes widened. She had worked too hard, day and night for this and now, it was slipping through her fingers?

Elias let out a victorious smirk.

“You can’t do this, grandma,” she muttered, her voice breaking in sadness.

“True Chens do not show weakness!” Old Lady Chen’s voice echoed through the hall.