Chapter 20

Two hours later, the car drove into a manor.

The ornate iron gates slowly opened, revealing an interior bright as daylight.

I had always known the Blackwood family was wealthy, but I never knew just how wealthy they were.

Outside rumors claimed the Blackwood family's wealth could rival a nation's - those words weren't empty.

The car stopped outside the mansion. Damien got out first and extended his arm for me to take.

I took his arm and took a deep breath.

More than a dozen servants came out to greet us: "Alpha King, Luna."

This was my first time at such an occasion. I felt somewhat uncomfortable and unconsciously took a few steps back.

Damien wrapped his arm around my waist. "Don't be afraid. You're the mistress here. Relax."

Damien led me inside.

Though it was a family dinner, the living room was brilliantly lit. Crystal chandeliers cast dazzling light, and people had gathered all around.

The moment we stepped into the villa, everyone's eyes fell on me.

"Alpha King, Luna."

Everyone we passed bowed their heads respectfully.

I whispered, "We haven't officially completed the marking ceremony yet. Isn't it too early for them to call me Luna?"

Damien smiled. "It's only a matter of time."

The living room was enormous - ten times the size of the Vance family villa. Just walking through it took several minutes, and with me wearing high heels, we moved even slower.

We walked to the innermost part of the living room, where an elegant, noble woman sat surrounded by many other women, like stars around the moon.

Damien rarely lowered his head. "Mom."

The distinguished lady slowly looked up, studying me. Her eyes were so calm that her thoughts were impossible to read.

"So this is Elara Vance? The eldest daughter of the Vance family?"

Damien said without hesitation, "Also your daughter-in-law."

Isadora looked up and glared at Damien, then turned back to me.

"I heard you cut ties with the Vance family?"

"Your parents gave birth to you and raised you. Now that you're grown up, you cut ties with them. Aren't you afraid of getting a bad reputation?"

Isadora's tone was flat, revealing neither pleasure nor anger.

Though I was somewhat nervous, I replied without being humble or arrogant: "If they gave birth but didn't nurture, there's no point keeping such family ties."

"Besides, this is my own business. Why should I care what others think of me?"

The scene instantly fell silent.

Damien had lost his father early. Back then, the Blackwood family's branch families all wanted to seize their assets. It was Isadora who struggled to hold everything together with her own strength.

The Obsidian Mountain Pack's development to its current scale was half due to Isadora's efforts.

So even though Damien commanded wind and rain outside, at home he was respectful and obedient to this mother.

There was even a saying in their circle: whatever status Damien held among Alphas, Isadora held the same status among Lunas.

The silence on the scene was terrifying.

Suddenly, Isadora smiled and raised an eyebrow at me: "Elara, you're the second person in our circle to do something so rebellious."

I was slightly surprised. This wasn't exactly something glorious - surely not many people would do such a thing.

Then Isadora picked up the fur blanket from her lap and stood up.

The Luna Matriarchs around her all stood and made way.

Isadora walked up to me, smiling brightly: "The first person to cut family ties was me."

I looked slightly shocked, my eyes widening.

"Back then, when I cut ties with my parents, everyone in the circle called me an ungrateful wretch. They even tried to sabotage me at every turn."

"Damien's father was the only one who didn't look at me with colored glasses. He even marked me despite everyone's opposition."

"More than twenty years have passed, and now my son has taken the same path as his father."