The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1873

After all, Wolf had no idea when Wynter would come to find him. But once Wynter arrived, handling these matters would be a piece of cake for her.

"Here you go, sweetheart, some fruit for you," Alanis said as she brought a plate of fruit from behind and set it on the table. She added, "Take your time. Just let me know if you want more. I'll get you some more."

Wolf looked up with a faint smile. "Thank you, Ms. Shayla."

Alanis gazed at him kindly. "No need to thank me. I'll go attend to other things now. You stay here and don't wander off, alright?"

Wolf nodded in response, picking up a toothpick to spear a piece of fruit and pop it into his mouth.

...

The study behind them was now unusually quiet, a stark contrast to the earlier heated arguments.

"What did you say?" Ingrid stared at Antoine in shock. "You're saying my mother chose to leave to protect me?"

Antoine nodded solemnly. "Back then, your mother stayed by my side no matter how tough life got. We were even called the model couple. But later, as the business grew, so did the number of enemies.

"You know how it is—the business world is a battlefield. One wrong move, and you could lose everything. Some people, when pushed to the edge, would stop at nothing, even targeting families.

"Your mother knew she was my weakness, so she suggested we divorce on paper. That way, it would offer some protection for me, for her, and even for you. I refused for days, but in the end, I couldn't win the argument and agreed."

Hearing this, Ingrid felt an inexplicable sadness well up inside her. All these years, her mother had never reached out. Whenever she asked Antoine, he refused to explain, leaving Ingrid to grow up without a mother. And then there were those who fueled the rumors.

"Chamberlain Group's chairman abandons his faithful wife!"

"Chamberlain Group's chairman secretly meets with young starlets!"

When Ingrid saw these headlines, she blamed everything on Antoine. Over time, the resentment festered, growing heavier in her heart.

Antoine watched Ingrid's expression, his own heart aching. He pulled a letter from the drawer and handed it to her. "This is from your mother."

Tears welled in Ingrid's eyes as she took the letter and read its contents.

"Ingrid, by the time you read this, I trust Antoine has told you the truth. All these years, I've failed you as a mother, and for that, I apologize. Don't blame your father, as this was my decision.

"I chose not to see you, and I made sure Antoine never shared my contact details or address with you, all to keep you safe. You must understand that you will always be the most precious to us, and protecting you is our duty.

"Just because we haven't met doesn't mean I haven't watched over you from the shadows, my dear. When the time is right, I will come to you."

Ingrid clutched the letter tightly. It was her only connection to her mother.

Antoine slowly walked over and pulled her into an embrace, whispering gently, "Your mother did this for our family."

As soon as Antoine finished speaking, Ingrid slowly wrapped her arms around him. In that moment, silence spoke louder than words.

After a while, Antoine gently patted her back. "Compose yourself."

He then handed her a few tissues from the side. "Dry your tears. Also, did you mention that someone tried to use you to threaten me?"

Ingrid wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and nodded. "Yes. That's exactly what those people said when they came. If it weren't for Wolf..." She gestured toward Wolf, who sat outside, eating fruit. "I'd probably be in their hands by now."

Antoine's brow furrowed slightly. "I know about that incident. The team assigned to protect you in the shadows reported it to me, though they couldn't hear what was said. They were about to intervene, but they chose to remain hidden when they saw that boy outside take action."

Ingrid froze for a moment. "The team protecting me in the shadows?"

Antoine clasped his hands behind his back. "Yes. I had to take precautions in case some rivals resorted to underhanded tactics. But your temper's just as stubborn as your mother's, so I could only arrange for discreet protection."

As soon as he finished speaking, Antoine seemed to remember something, his frown deepening.

Ingrid noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Antoine's expression remained tense. "Very few people know you're my daughter, and even fewer know your address. Aside from family, it's only those closest to me. That means someone by my side has betrayed me."

This matter would require a thorough, discreet investigation.

Then, he turned his gaze toward Wolf, sitting outside. "How did you meet that boy?"

At the question, a faint smile touched Ingrid's eyes. "We met at a restaurant. He's from the mainland and doesn't understand Havenian. I acted as his translator at the time. He came to Havenia through an illegal border crossing all alone, so I took him in and allowed him to stay at my place."

Antoine's eyes darkened as he studied Wolf, trying to see through him. But Wolf was too busy eating to pay any attention to the scrutiny.

After a moment, Antoine looked away. "That boy isn't as simple as he seems. It's nearly impossible for a child his age to have that kind of strength. Stay cautious if you keep him around. For now, I won't withdraw the team protecting you. They won't act unless absolutely necessary."

Ingrid nodded. "Let's go out for now." With that, she helped Antoine out of the study.

When the two of them stepped out, they froze at the sight before them. The table in front of Wolf was piled high with empty fruit containers.

Ingrid was stunned. She just had dinner with him, after all.

Meanwhile, Alanis sighed, wondering how long it had been since Wolf had had a proper meal.

Wolf, finishing the last slice of apple, noticed them out of the corner of his eye. He scratched the tip of his nose sheepishly. "Ms. Ingrid, I think I might've eaten a bit too much. Didn't realize I had this many."

Ingrid chuckled. "Wolf, eat as much as you want. There's plenty."

Wolf's eyes lit up. "Ms. Shayla, can you prepare two more boxes for me to eat now and pack four to go? Thanks!"

Ingrid and Antoine burst into laughter.

Antoine spoke up. "Kid, how about staying here? You can eat whatever you want, every day."

Wolf paused. "Really? Then I want lots and lots of... meat!"

Antoine nodded. "Really. You can have as much meat as you want."

Ingrid glanced at Wolf. "Well, if you're staying here, I guess I'll leave." She pretended to walk toward the door.

Wolf scratched his head. "Ms. Ingrid, be careful on your way back."

It was a no-brainer for Wolf. With endless food at his disposal, how could he possibly refuse? This was even better than an all-you-can-eat buffet. As long as there was food, he was more than happy to stay.

Had Wynter been here, Wolf's response would've been entirely different. He'd have followed her without a second thought.

Antoine observed Wolf and felt his guard lower. If Wolf had any ulterior motives toward Ingrid, he would've refused the offer and left with her immediately.

"Isn't that great? We'll just kill every single one that comes. The more that comes, the more merit we get!"

The evil spirits burst into laughter.

Suddenly, a Sablemare, who had been silent all this time, shook his head. "No… this isn't merit from His Majesty killing people."

"Then what is it?"

"His Majesty got married!" The Sablemare sprang to his feet, grabbing the person next to him. "Tell me! Did His Majesty get married?"

That person was none other than the so-called "Matchmaker" of the underworld—the red demon.

"This… I wouldn't dare meddle in His Majesty's romantic affairs."

"Well, is it true or not?" The other evil spirits pressed, especially the female spirits.

If Dalton had truly married, wouldn't that shatter any hope they had of getting close to him? Not that they dared to approach him too closely in the first place. But who wouldn't want to have Dalton? They didn't even need benefits—just his face alone was enough to make them willing to serve him.

The red demon muttered under his breath, seemingly in disbelief. He performed his divination again and again. "This doesn't make sense… His Majesty shouldn't have any romantic fate at all. But now, not only has he grown more youthful, but he also has a red thread for marriage…"

The red demon scratched his already thinning hair. "This is really creepy!"

"What are you talking about? We're the creepy ones!" The long-tongued ghost smacked the back of his head. "Just tell us! Did His Majesty get married or not?"

The red demon lifted his gaze, meeting the eyes of countless female spirits. "Yes."

The usually bustling and lively Necropolis fell into a rare moment of stillness. The music that played through the night, the ghostly dances that never ceased... Everything came to an abrupt halt.

Just moments ago, evil spirits were quarreling heatedly over offerings, nearly coming to blows, teeth bared and ready to bite. Now, they stood frozen.

"Is His Majesty… really getting married?"

The red demon nodded.

At that moment, countless crows swept across the Necropolis. Then, as if answering the call, a phoenix descended upon the sycamore tree.

The mystical cranes, creatures typically seen only within the sects, brought with them divine dew, celestial brews, mystical fruits, and peaches of longevity. They handed them directly into the spirits' hands, as if they were celebrating something monumental.

In the underworld, the Eclipse Bloom, which had not bloomed in a thousand years, unfurled once more. Black leaves rose from the dust, and their deep violet petals adorned the entire Necropolis like a surreal dreamscape.

Mystic spirits from all directions arrived without invitation. In the past, the demon and spirit clans would fight bitterly over the pettiest slights—who slandered whose name, who crossed whose boundary. But today, things were different.

Everyone came bearing gifts. Even the White Tiger, the most fearsome among them, had a basket clenched between its fangs, filled to the brim with dazzling jewels. The dragon clan, as if suddenly struck by a strange impulse, brought with them 100 luna pearls.

And it wasn't just the drinks—even the food had merit in it.

To the evil spirits, this was nothing short of a festival! No wedding under the heavens could compare to this one, where mystical birds gathered, mystic beasts assembled, and the entire underworld bore witness.

And they all knew Dalton was marrying a human. The blooming of the Eclipse Bloom said it all.

Such an unexpected, grand form of celebration would inevitably set off a chain of reactions.