Chapter 731
“Hahaha,” the woman in red chuckled, covering her mouth. “That’s because the Holy Fire organization is enormous—over one hundred thousand members in Chanaea alone, and even more internationally. Naturally, such a complex organization has variations in the markings issued by different branches. As for me…”
She paused, then adopted a pitiful expression. “I was sold to the Holy Fire organization as a child. The branch leader trained me as a female assassin, intending to use me to lure targets. That’s why the mark is in such a place.”
Emmanuel wasn’t sure if her distress was genuine or feigned, but he felt a surge of sympathy. She was just a little girl, abandoned by her parents. How could she have possibly made her own choices?
Chapter 731: He Must Have Saved the World
Seeing Emmanuel’s sympathy, the woman in red felt a triumphant thrill. She had finally garnered his compassion. However, just as she moved closer, Mackenzie’s cold gaze fell upon her.
The woman in red giggled nervously. “I won’t dare approach you again. I’m afraid Mackenzie will kill me!”
Mackenzie, indeed furious, approached with a cold expression. The woman in red’s frivolous smile vanished, replaced by an instinctive recoil. Although she was martially superior to Mackenzie, she was genuinely afraid of her.
“If I ever catch you shamelessly throwing yourself at my man again, the consequences will be unbearable,” Mackenzie warned icily.
Chapter 731: He Must Have Saved the World
“Alright, Mackenzie,” the woman in red replied meekly, her head bowed. She bore no resemblance to the ruthless assassin she was moments before.
“Alright, we’re leaving. Behave yourselves!” Emmanuel declared, wanting to leave. His wife was about to start work, and he needed to take her to the company.
Their Maserati arrived at the Terence Group just in time for work. Mackenzie’s unusual arrival surprised the security guards.
“Go home and rest. Unless something comes up tonight, you don’t need to pick me up,” Mackenzie said, preparing to exit the car. She knew Emmanuel hadn’t slept at all last night and wanted to give him a break.
However, Emmanuel gently took her hand.
“Hmm?” Mackenzie turned, surprised.
The security guards were stunned. This was the first time they’d seen the usually cool Ms. Quillen holding hands with a man. That man must have saved the world in a past life to be so lucky!
“Mackenzie, you need to take care of yourself, too,” Emmanuel worried, remembering her previous bout of gastroenteritis. He'd been caring for her for three months, but feared a relapse if she worked too hard.
His concern, however, was condensed into a simple sentence at the entrance.
“I know. You should go back,” Mackenzie replied, her lips curving into a barely perceptible smile.
“Okay. Text me later. I’ll pick you up on time tonight. I’m not tired at all,” Emmanuel said seriously, aware of the threat against his wife.
“Alright,” Mackenzie replied, a sweetness blooming in her heart. She wanted him to pick her up, but worried about tiring him.
After Mackenzie went to work, Emmanuel didn’t go home; he went to the warehouse. It was stocked with Terence Group energy products—primarily natural gas and a small amount of petroleum products—all conventional energy sources. Following the previous explosion, security had been significantly upgraded. Emmanuel was turned away before he could get close.
Chapter 732
Emmanuel didn’t enter; he merely familiarized himself with the environment and further studied the Terence Group’s energy sector. Could there be a connection between Magnus’s demands from the Quillen family and these conventional energy products?
At 4 p.m., Emmanuel received a call from Mackenzie, surprising him.
“Hey, Emmanuel. Pick me up at 5 p.m. and take me back to the Quillen family.”
“Back to the Quillen family?” Emmanuel was even more curious.
“Yeah, Grandpa insists, and he also said…” Mackenzie hesitated.
“What did he say?”
“He didn’t say anything. Just come pick me up, and we’ll have dinner together.” Mackenzie didn’t dare tell him it was a celebration banquet, which, given her intelligence, she suspected wouldn't be positive.
Emmanuel agreed. He arrived on time to pick up Mackenzie and return to the Quillen residence. Alfred opened the car door.
“Ms. Mackenzie, everyone is waiting for you in the banquet hall.”
“Alright,” Mackenzie nodded, waiting for Emmanuel before hooking her arm through his. She planned to introduce him to the family. Emmanuel remained unaware of the banquet’s true purpose, but felt no pressure.
In the living room, members of the Quillen family sat around a large table (20 x 3 meters). As before, except for Terence, there wasn’t a single man present. Everyone smiled, but their eyes held varying gleams.
Samantha warmly greeted Mackenzie, pulling her away from Emmanuel. “Emmanuel, you should take your seat too!” While enthusiastic, her approach differed from her treatment of Mackenzie.
Emmanuel didn't mind. He nodded, ready to sit with Mackenzie, but she quietly reminded him, “Greet everyone and praise them.” She wanted him to be accepted, knowing his straightforward nature might be disliked.
“Grandpa, good evening. You’re looking well today!” “Aunt Stephanie, good evening…” “Aunt Sofia…” “Aunt Samantha…”
Following Mackenzie's instructions, Emmanuel greeted everyone humbly and respectfully. He felt conflicted; he wasn’t a smooth talker, but did this for Mackenzie. The banquet wouldn’t start until he'd greeted everyone.
Chapter 733
“Emmanuel, don’t assume that cozying up to us will make us forget what happened on New Year’s Eve when you left the gathering halfway through!” Hannah said ambiguously. “It seems like you still owe us an explanation.” Her improved attitude stemmed from Terence’s approval of him as his grandson-in-law, a sentiment not shared by the others, who worried about Mackenzie’s association with him. However, knowing Mackenzie had slept with him, their feelings were complex. Hannah, initially skeptical, was now unsure and adjusted her approach to avoid future conflict.
“Aunt Hannah, and all the relatives of the Quillen family, I want to formally apologize to all of you,” Emmanuel said to avoid causing problems for Mackenzie. “That night, Claudette was critically ill, and her brother, Quintus, asked me to rescue her. That’s why I left.”
Everyone knew this, so their reaction was muted. Stephanie asked if Claudette had been saved.
“She was saved that night, but she has passed away,” Emmanuel replied gloomily.
Hannah immediately responded, “Oh, so your efforts were futile. What a pity. It’s quite a waste for you to have cared so much about her.” Others joined in, trying to embarrass Emmanuel. He’d left his wife for a woman he ultimately couldn't save.
“Enough of this discussion. Let’s proceed with the banquet,” Terence intervened, wanting to help Emmanuel. He was now more certain of Emmanuel as his grandson-in-law.
Unexpectedly, Emmanuel grew serious. “Aunt Hannah, how can you say it was futile? Every life is valuable. Claudette saved both Mackenzie and me. Just because she’s no longer here, does that mean I shouldn’t have tried to help her? We all have a destiny to die. Does that make our current existence meaningless?”
The Quillen women looked at each other. The atmosphere cooled. Mackenzie remained silent, knowing the women disliked Emmanuel and might be provoking him. Hannah apologized, acknowledging his status as Mackenzie's husband. The other women grew more disapproving, concerned about Emmanuel's potential future influence. Emmanuel felt exhausted; wealthy families were harder to navigate than in novels.
Chapter 734
They wouldn't openly confront him, but would subtly wear him down. Emmanuel had experienced this firsthand.
“Enough about the past. Let’s eat!” Terence called out, restoring order. The meal proceeded elegantly. Emmanuel felt uneasy but tried to fit in.
Terence asked if he liked the food. Emmanuel honestly praised it. Stephanie added, “Hehe, eat as much as you want. In the future, as long as you come back with Mackenzie, there will be plenty for you to eat!” Emmanuel recognized the insinuation that he was a freeloader. The women continued to subtly pressure him, implying that if anything happened to Mackenzie or the Terence Group, he would be to blame. Terence intervened, stopping their pointed comments.
Samantha then said, "As you are Mackenzie’s husband and a rare man in the Quillen family, all the sisters in the family have high expectations of you. Don’t let us down!" This pressure felt less aggressive than the others.
“Aunt Samantha, rest assured. If there is a need, and it’s within my capabilities, I will do my best to help Mackenzie!” Emmanuel pledged.
Terence added, “Emmanuel, do you know that tonight’s celebration banquet was specifically arranged for you?”
“For me?” Emmanuel was surprised.
Terence explained it was because of the Terence family warehouse, now operational and profitable. He announced, "So, to reward you, I’ve decided to give a house in the Quillen residence to you. After dinner, you may go and choose one!"
Chapter 735
The Quillen women were shocked. Hannah trembled. Stephanie suggested he choose the largest house, highlighting its value. Hannah was displeased; she’d never had such a privilege.
Emmanuel surprised everyone by refusing. “Grandpa, Aunt Stephanie, thank you for your kindness, but I haven’t made plans to move into the Quillen residence. Grandpa, wouldn’t that be against the customs of Chanaea? When Mackenzie and I are married, even if she doesn’t wish to live in my house, it would be more appropriate for us to find a place of our own to live together. Moving into her family’s residence wouldn’t be the ideal arrangement, don’t you think?”
The women were shocked. They questioned his motives. Mackenzie remained silent, acknowledging the challenge they faced. She hoped Emmanuel could handle the future trials. Alfred, observing the scene, wondered how Terence would react.
Terence, however, wasn’t angry. “Haha… Well said, young man! In any case, you can still pick a room. After you’ve chosen, whether you want to live in the Quillen residence or not, it’s your decision.” The women were jealous. Emmanuel chose to delay choosing a house, avoiding further conflict.
“Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll pick the house when I decide to move in,” Emmanuel stated. He wouldn't rush things, even with his larger plan in mind.
“Haha, it’s up to you! Come on, let’s eat up!” Terence didn’t pressure him. He anticipated Mackenzie's eventual pregnancy, believing that would change Emmanuel's mind.
The remainder of the meal was more harmonious. Mackenzie was satisfied with Emmanuel's behavior, but worried about future challenges.
After the banquet, Emmanuel and Mackenzie left. A Rolls-Royce from the Lenoir family arrived.
“That’s a car from the Lenoir family!” Emmanuel pointed out. “Mackenzie, shall we go back and take a look?”
Mackenzie declined, suspecting they weren't there for them. The Rolls-Royce driver opened the back door, revealing Felicity. She glanced in their direction before entering the Quillen residence.
Chapter 737
Felicity encountered Samantha and Hannah. A tense confrontation ensued. Beatrix tried to mediate, but the two women were unyielding. Alfred intervened, suggesting he inform Terence.
Terence allowed Felicity’s return, knowing her intentions weren't pure. Alfred informed Felicity, who reprimanded Samantha before entering. Alfred stopped her bodyguards from entering, stating Terence only permitted her entry.
Felicity returned to her room, then stealthily went to the study to search for items her husband had left behind. Her bodyguards searched elsewhere. Alfred watched from the surveillance center, ordering no action until he gave the command. For three hours, Felicity searched unsuccessfully. She left the study, rejoined her bodyguards and then tried to enter Tony's former room. The guards stopped her.
Chapter 738
Felicity argued that as Tony’s wife, she had the right to enter. The bodyguards remained firm. Felicity's bodyguards attacked, engaging in a brutal fight with the Quillen family's bodyguards. Felicity pressed forward, aiming to enter the room. Alfred suddenly appeared, blocking her path.
Felicity confronted Alfred, accusing him of wrongdoing. Alfred calmly replied that he couldn’t let her enter the room without Terence’s permission. Felicity’s bodyguards attacked, but Alfred easily subdued them with his superior martial arts skills.
Chapter 739
Felicity was stunned by Alfred's skill. He revealed his understanding of her situation, but insisted she leave. Felicity refused. Her bodyguards attacked, but Alfred effortlessly defeated them. Felicity, recognizing Alfred's skill and strength, paused, but ultimately left despite his pleas. Alfred informed Logan to clean up.
Chapter 740
Terence, awake all night, learned from Alfred that Felicity had left. He lamented his past mistake in allowing Tony to marry her. Alfred pointed out the need to protect the valuable items. Terence, reflecting on his age, considered entrusting these responsibilities to Emmanuel.