Afterward, both of them left without speaking to each other, walking home on their own. As they reached the front door, Isabella paused momentarily before looking at Benjamin with a somewhat disgusted expression.
"You go in first; I don't want to walk with a good-for-nothing like you."
This time, Benjamin didn't react to her, he just glanced at the house's main gate. Then, he grabbed the keys to the car and threw them back to Isabella.
"I don't want to go in. If you want to enter, do it yourself!"
With that, Benjamin decisively turned away and left. However, at that moment, Isabella suddenly blocked his path, standing before him, and said.
"My father is returning home today; you can't just leave."
Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed slightly after hearing the mention of his father-in-law, whom he had only met once at their wedding. Seeing his expression, Isabella added: "After today, you can go wherever you want, and I won't care. But you're not allowed to leave this house before my father leaves. If you do, you'll have to face the consequences!"
With a cold and warning glare, Isabella casually opened the gate and stepped inside the house. By now, Benjamin had no choice but to comply. He could only follow Isabella's command and slowly enter the house.
The father-in-law Isabella had just mentioned he had a unique impression on Benjamin. It had been a long since he had seen him after their wedding. Furthermore, his marriage to Isabella was entirely arranged by the man. This was why Benjamin was extremely curious about the mysterious man.
Regrettably, since becoming a son-in-law in the Taylor family, Benjamin had experienced nothing but disdain from his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, receiving no respect whatsoever. Moreover, Isabella detested her marriage, so she constantly treated him poorly.
"Oh?!"
Entering the house, Benjamin noticed that it was relatively quiet today. It seemed his sister-in-law, Kinsley Taylor, had gone out. Otherwise, he would have already heard her noisy chatter. As he passed by Kinsley's room, his expression grew serious.
Because he had just heard a faint sound coming from inside the room, as if someone was being strangled, unable to make any noise, at that moment, Benjamin quickly envisioned Kinsley being attacked by a thief, threatened with force, and potentially facing harm.
Instantly, Benjamin's eyes showed a sharp glint. Without hesitation, he kicked the door open and rushed inside. However, as soon as he saw the scene in the room, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"You guys…"
With an exasperated sigh, Benjamin quickly retreated from the room. He could never have imagined that his sister-in-law would be so audacious, inviting her boyfriend into the house. Moreover, they were both undressed, embracing and kissing on the bed.
"Stop! Who permitted you to barge into my room?"
Just as Benjamin stepped out of the room, Kinsley bolted like an arrow, blocking his way.
Casting a sidelong glance at Kinsley's still-developing chest region, Benjamin's voice was slightly awkward as he shook his head and said: "Sorry, I didn't mean to…."
However, a slap landed on his face before he could finish his sentence, leaving a bright red handprint.
"You..."
Anger filling his heart, Benjamin's eyes widened, glaring at Kinsley. Yet, Kinsley's demeanor was incredibly aggressive. She didn't seem to be scared of him at all, her voice even carrying a hint of provocation.
"What about me? Dare you hit me?"
Hearing Kinsley's taunts, Benjamin's fists clenched tightly. But as Kinsley had just said, he dared not hit her.
Seeing Benjamin's current expression, Kinsley's face grew smug and satisfied.
"Hmph, a worthless, useless person like you, I can hit and scold as I please. Do you even have the right to be angry with me? If it weren't for my father wanting to marry my sister off to you, I wouldn't even look at your disgusting face..."
After ranting for a while, Kinsley felt her throat getting dry. It was then that she turned to look at the door Benjamin had damaged, angrily saying,
"Fine, I won't waste any more words on a loser like you. Now, fix the door for me immediately. Or else, what just happened will be more than a simple slap."
Kinsley intended to turn back into her bedroom. However, Benjamin's attitude suddenly became resolute. He spoke in a low voice, carrying a hint of a threat to Kinsley.
"Apologize to me immediately! If not, I will tell your sister everything!"
Deep down, Benjamin had made a decision. If he continued to give in, all he would receive was disdain, and his position in the Taylor family would plummet.
Therefore, he wanted Kinsley to apologize to him and prove to the Taylor family that he was not a weak, easily bullied loser.
Although this was Kinsley's first time seeing Benjamin like this, it makes she scared that Benjamin's threat has some effect.
However, in her mind, Benjamin was nothing but a useless loser. She couldn't bring herself to apologize to someone like that. So, she stubbornly snorted.
"Who do you think you are? Do you want me to apologize to you? Stop dreaming."
This time, Benjamin had no intention of backing down. He glanced into the room, his voice slightly reminding her.
"What if your sister sees you like this? I don't know how furious she would be."
At that moment, Kinsley suddenly remembered that she and her boyfriend were still in the room, not fully dressed. If Isabella were to find out, she would undoubtedly suffer. All her pocket money and daily clothing expenses relied on her sister's generosity.
Therefore, Kinsley's mind began to weigh her options, and her heart wavered. Shortly after, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from downstairs. Kinsley's face turned pale with panic. She then looked at Benjamin and said: "Sorry, is that enough now?"
Of course, Benjamin recognized the sound of approaching footsteps. However, it was Kinsley's apology that caught his attention. Instantly, angry shouting began to echo from the staircase below.
"How many times do I have to tell you? What's the point of keeping someone as useless as him around? Look at you, your leg hurts so much, and he doesn't even know how to help or guide you inside. He just leaves you to limp around like that. You'd be better off raising a dog than someone as ungrateful as him."
Mrs. Raelynn - his mother-in-law, she was scolding piercing to the ears, even though Benjamin had endured it many times before. This time, he couldn't hold back, looking towards the mother and daughter as they stepped in together and spoke up.
"Mother, I was in the wrong. But scolding me like this, don't you think you're going too far?"
Benjamin's response left the three women of the Taylor family wholly taken aback, especially Raelynn, who had always looked down on him. Suddenly hearing her son-in-law stand up to her, she angrily retorted.
"See? Now he even dares to argue back! I told you before, but you wouldn't listen. If you had married Winston, I wouldn't have to see this useless person's face in my house!"
Mentioning a man named Winston, Isabella's eyes suddenly became warm and gentle. She tried to shake her mother's arm with her hand, her voice carrying a hint of reproach.
"Mother, please don't bring him up again. My matters are none of your concern."
"You…"
Seeing Isabella's demeanor and mother-in-law's words, Benjamin's face immediately turned sour.
He never expected that there would be another man named Winston in Isabella's heart. Moreover, judging by her demeanor, this man seemed to hold a much more critical position than a nominal husband like himself.
For a moment, Benjamin's chest felt bitter. Ignoring the three women before him, he turned and headed straight to his bedroom.
…
"Where's your phone? Give it to me!"
Not long after returning to the bedroom, Benjamin heard Isabella's hurried footsteps following behind. Before he could even ask what she wanted, she stated her intention.
"What for?"
Although he had guessed Isabella's purpose, Benjamin didn't want to hand over his phone to her.
"Why are you being so talkative? Just give it to me when I say so!"
Without waiting for Benjamin's response, Isabella quickly snatched his phone away. Caught off guard, Benjamin was unable to react in time. Only after Isabella had taken his cell phone did he notice that she was swiftly deleting the photos of the messy clothes he had taken at the hotel earlier.
Furthermore, when Benjamin checked the messages on the phone, he saw Isabella transferring back the $4,000 she had sent him previously into her account.
"You…"
Seeing Benjamin's flustered appearance, a hint of satisfaction finally appeared on Isabella's face.
"Very well, for now, please stay obediently at home. As for your sister's medical expenses, I will send them directly to the hospital. From now on, I will not give you any more money."
Uttering these words, Isabella completely ignored the darkening expression on Benjamin's face. She confidently strutted out of the room, her hips swaying.
Leaving the bedroom, Benjamin quickly descended the stairs and poured himself a glass of water. Meanwhile, Isabella was browsing her phone and checking the news in the living room. She hurried towards him as soon as she saw him, limping slightly."By the way, my father is coming home for dinner tonight. So, we need to act affectionately towards each other and not give him any reason to suspect anything. You understand, right?"With a warning gaze, Isabella's demeanor seemed odd.Indeed, Benjamin found this whole situation bizarre. Usually, his wife never shows kindness to him. Even in front of his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, she still acts cold and contemptuous toward him. However, whenever her father was mentioned, whom he had only met once at their wedding, Isabella's attitude changed drastically.Though he felt suspicious, Benjamin did not want to cause conflict with Isabella at this moment, so he calmly nodded in agreement.At seven o'clock that evening, the doorbell rang. A
Looking at the eight full glasses of wine, Benjamin's expression remained unchanged. He was resolute, walking over and pouring the entire glass of wine on the table into his mouth.Seeing this, everyone in the room was filled with fear. Especially Olivia, who never expected Benjamin to do such a thing for her. After all, even someone with a high alcohol tolerance could only handle a few glasses of this type of wine at most. Moreover, this was the first time anyone else had ever downed eight drinks in one go as he did."Good, the wine has been finished. Can we leave now?"Although the eight glasses of wine weren't a big problem for Benjamin, drinking that much at once left him feeling dizzy. At this moment, Olivia felt incredibly guilty. Meanwhile, seeing her wrist still held tightly by Benjamin, her face flushed with embarrassment."Corbin, we'd like to take our leave now."Olivia's body leaned slightly forward. She then took Benjamin's hand and quickly led him out of the room."Wait!
“No, I genuinely had no idea that it was your restaurant. If I had known, I wouldn’t have gotten into a fight there. Besides, he was bullying people too much, and I just wanted to stand up for justice!”After a moment of shock, Benjamin finally began to explain himself. However, Isabella seemed as if she didn’t hear him at all. She stared at him with a highly disdainful look.“Do you... do you think I’m that despicable? That I would damage your restaurant’s reputation to get revenge on you?”Feeling frustrated and unable to explain, Benjamin angrily stormed out of the car. But at that moment, Isabella suddenly spoke up.“Where are you going?”“If you don’t believe me, why do you want me to drive you home?”As he spoke, Benjamin opened the door to get out.“Suit yourself, but if you dare leave, I’ll go to the hospital to visit your sister.”This time, Benjamin’s movement faltered.“What do you plan to do?”“I won’t do anything. I’ll tell your sister and father about the fight and how y
Upon seeing Benjamin walk into the hotel with his letter of introduction, the hotel manager couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at him. Afterward, the manager flashed a smile and spoke."A new employee, huh? The hotel only has a little work at the moment. You can help me clean, and once there's more work, I'll hand it over to you later."As he spoke, the manager discreetly handed Benjamin a broom. Benjamin was no stranger to such situations, as the old ones often hazed new employees.However, Benjamin was not like the others. He didn't accept the broom offered by the manager but calmly shook his head and responded."Sorry, I'm here to work as a driver, not to do janitorial work for the hotel."Hearing this, the manager's eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time he had encountered such an assertive new employee. Just as he was about to lose his temper and teach Benjamin a lesson, he was interrupted by a call from a subordinate, saying that there was an issue that required h
Not wanting to respond to Benjamin, but Isabella eventually couldn't bear it and snapped back."Who are you calling deceitful? You're just someone I bought with money to serve as a stand-in. What right do you have to scold me? Furthermore, look at yourself. If you weren't such a useless waste, would I even need to look for another man?""You..."Being scolded by Isabella to the point of grinding his teeth, Benjamin's fists clenched tightly, making a grinding sound. He felt extremely uncomfortable, but he could not refute Isabella's words.For a moment, the atmosphere in the car became incredibly silent. Neither spoke to the other, each lost in their thoughts. After a while, Isabella's attitude began to cool down. This matter couldn't be entirely blamed on Benjamin. After all, they never had any feelings for each other. They were simply in agreement, a contract."Fine, I don't want to continue arguing with you either. Let's divorce now. After the divorce, I'll give you more money as co
After leaving the hotel, Benjamin's face showed extreme anger. He never thought Isabella would resort to such despicable tactics to divorce him. Just as he was about to drive back to work, his phone suddenly rang.Seeing Isabella's number displayed on the screen, Benjamin's face darkened even more. Without hesitation, he answered the call on speakerphone."What's the meaning of this? If you want to divorce me, you could just talk to me directly. There's no need for these common, shameless tactics. All it does is make me despise you even more!"On the other side of the phone, after hearing Benjamin's furious rant, Isabella's voice paused momentarily. Waiting for him to vent all his anger, her cold voice finally spoke up."Are you done?"At this point, Benjamin's anger hadn't subsided yet. Hearing Isabella's attitude, he became even more infuriated. However, Isabella didn't allow him to continue venting and spoke first."I don't know why you're so angry. But I called you because there's
However, as the saying goes, enemies instantly see red blood when they meet. Thinking of being beaten by Benjamin and having a broken nose that had yet to heal, Corbin's anger flared up."Apologize?! Ha ha ha, if you are sincere, then kneel. Just kneel and bow three times in my direction, and I will forgive you."Hearing Corbin speak like that, Benjamin's eyes momentarily widened. Then, he looked at Corbin and smiled."If Mr. Corbin agrees to sign a contract with our company, I wouldn't mind kneeling and bowing nine or even ten times. However, will you keep your word after you say it? After all, you made many promises last time but didn't fulfill them."In the face of Benjamin's sarcasm, Corbin's face didn't show any anger. On the contrary, he seemed pretty pleased and laughed loudly."Ha ha, if you want to come here to sign a contract, not only will you have to kneel and bow to me three times, but I also want you to come here and lick my shoes. We can discuss the contract later if yo
In the VIP room of the hotel, Winston sat at the center of the banquet table, with Benjamin and Isabella seated opposite each other. However, each of their expressions was completely different at that moment.While Benjamin casually observed the surroundings, occasionally uttering exclamations like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, Isabella remained severe and silent, not uttering a word.Only Winston had a beaming smile but felt incredibly frustrated and uncomfortable inside.He had only made some sarcastic remarks earlier, intending to provoke Benjamin. Yet, he couldn't have imagined that Benjamin would really have no shame and even want to join them for a meal at the hotel.After taking his seat, Winston turned to Isabella with a grin and said, "Isabella, I know you love lobster dishes. So, before coming here, I asked the chef to prepare an Alaskan lobster dish for you. I heard the lobster here is imported by plane within 24 hours, so its taste remains fresh.
Benjamin, unbeknownst to him, was oblivious to the demonic prince's frenzy over the armor. He held in his hand a command token, under which lay a somewhat tragic corpse. However, a familiar energy emanated from the token, causing his brows to furrow deeply, for a voice resounded urgently within his mind."Chirp chirp!"Deep in thought, Benjamin was roused by Alan's voice. The creature, now the size of a sparrow, perched gracefully upon his shoulder.Recognizing the intention behind the creature's head rubbing against him, a tender smile graced Benjamin's lips: "You did wonderfully." he praised."Chirp chirp!"In response, Alan regurgitated an ancient ring which landed deftly in Benjamin's palm. As it touched his skin, the ring transformed into a golden glow, wrapping around his finger. It was the space ring Benjamin had discovered in the Dragon Palace. Although the spirit inside was dormant, its basic functions remained accessible.Earlier, Benjamin had entrusted this ring to Alan to
Instantly, his face became grave. Only now did he discern the fading form of Alan, with even the flames upon it having waned by more than half. Yet, what was most alarming was the emanating ominous aura from the Demon God's heart, causing Benjamin to jolt and hurriedly shout,"Elder!""Hm?!"Hearing Benjamin's call, an ethereal figure suddenly appeared outside the central region of the altar. Its gaze locked onto the sealed space above the altar."Ha ha ha, foolish humans, my true form is almost here. Once it arrives, I'll reduce the both of you to mere ashes!"Sensing the familiar aura steadily nearing the altar, the Demon God's heart laughed triumphantly.However, a languid voice suddenly intervened,"Quiet!"Following which, an overpowering force, emanating from Benjamin, suddenly descended, shattering the very core of the heart."AHH!"A scream echoed from within. Simultaneously, an ethereal figure, eyes filled with disbelief, turned towards the altar."What is this force?!"Feeli
Boom!Boom!Several blows in succession, and Benjamin had lost track of time. But at this moment, cracks began to appear on the wall before him. They spread and widened until finally, with a full-force punch, the wall collapsed. A vast space revealed itself, stretching out before his eyes.Here, Benjamin beheld a huge sacrificial altar, filling almost the entire space. Above the altar hung a heart. Though he could not ascertain from what creature it was taken, its appearance allowed him to sense an incredibly evil energy, pervading the entire space.Moreover, this evil energy made his mind reel slightly. Were it not for his strong will, Benjamin feared he would have been bewitched by the heart.Instantly, his face marked with caution, he retreated a few steps."This is truly bizarre? How could such an altar appear here?"But just then, stepping back some twenty meters, a sound of great astonishment suddenly came from behind him.Startled, Benjamin quickly turned to see the people who
A few minutes later, a middle-aged man with blonde hair and glasses, holding a laptop, arrived looking somewhat harried and sleep-deprived. He looked toward Red, placed his hand over his chest, and rapidly spoke.“Prince Red, why have you summoned me here? My research is on the brink of completion, needing only one final step. If there's nothing urgent, I would like to return and continue with my work.”After speaking, the middle-aged man seemed incredibly impatient, ready to turn and leave.Seeing this, Red felt slightly annoyed but did not show anger. Instead, his face bore a placating expression, and he hastily replied.“Mr. Steven, I genuinely have a very important matter that requires your assistance. Agat and Orange are in trouble in New Braum, and I want you to go there and bring them back. What do you think?”Red's attitude was extremely humble, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance and pride.However, Steven seemed not to care, his eyes sweeping the control room in a glan
However, Steven seemed uninterested, his eyes sweeping the control room before he spoke, a little annoyed.“Your Highness Red, such a trivial matter, and you call me here? If you feel overly bored, I can help you with some training time. Within the next twenty-four hours, I assure you that the time spent will not be wasted at all!”Hearing this, Red's eyes showed a hint of fear.Although the man was just a human, his strength was not particularly great. However, Steven's status in the kingdom was very special. He was a scholar, and his creativity was terrifying.Hundreds of years ago, when the kingdom of Autuman was just a small tribe on the planet Namec, their king, then a young man, luckily rescued a human, and this human was the middle-aged man before him, Steven.Harnessing the terrifying breadth of Steven's intellect, in less than a decade, Autuman evolved from a minor tribe, nestled in the wilderness of planet Namec, into a mighty empire. They conquered the entirety of Namec, an
Boom!Boom!Boom!Blood painted the sky, and countless pieces of metal debris littered the ground.A smirk formed on Benjamin's lips. He hadn't expected that after such a long slumber, its power had grown so immense.However, the sight of the scattered armor shards pained him.Such high-quality armor pieces, capable of enhancing a warrior's strength and providing incredible defense, were now in ruins. For someone of Benjamin's caliber, these armors might not pose much challenge, but if equipped by his soldiers, they would have been invaluable assets, exponentially amplifying their combat prowess.Although he felt a twinge of regret, Benjamin didn't blame Alan. Instead, he commended him."Alan, you did splendidly!""Chirp, chirp!"As Benjamin's praise graced his ears, a rush of exhilaration surged through Alan. In mere moments, his form swiftly contracted, taking on the delicate guise of a sparrow, which alighted on Benjamin's shoulder, its chirps melodious and relentless.Witnessing s
"Ha ha ha, I was merely jesting with you." he laughed with ease, his eyes dancing mischievously: "No need to take it so seriously. Anyway, feel free to examine it. It's now mine, and even if you wish, you cannot claim it."With a boisterous laugh, Benjamin, brimming with amusement, effortlessly tossed a ring towards her.Catching a glimpse of his action, a pang of surprise coursed through Fidelma. Still, she reached out, catching the item.Holding the ornate ring in her hand, she felt a strange force emanating from within. The intricate designs adorning it suggested an ancient aura. Fidelma could confidently deduce that this was a space treasure. Its grade was undoubtedly high, surpassing any artifact she had previously encountered in the annals or in the treasury of the Moonlight Religious Sect."Done examining?" His voice hinted at impatience: "If so, kindly return it."Watching Fidelma cradle the ring, almost reluctant to release it, a twitch of amusement played on Benjamin's lips.
Now, even though its headpiece had been severed, it was still far more complete than the other armors.Without hesitation, he approached, with a mere thought, his storage ring's light flared. The entire armor, along with the leader's corpse, was drawn into it.He then surveyed the surroundings once more, detecting no anomalies. Benjamin then proceeded towards Dermot's wooden house atop the hill."Boss, you're not hurt, are you?" asked Azaria, eyeing Benjamin's bloodstained appearance with a hint of concern.Benjamin glanced at him and shook his head."I'm fine; go rest. Tonight, there may be more to do. I'll handle it myself." he said, continuing straight to Dermot's bedroom.Upon seeing Benjamin's bloodied state, Irina suddenly rushed over, her face filled with alarm. She hastily grabbed his hand, her expression fraught with concern."You...you're alright?" she stammered.Seeing her worry, Benjamin merely shook his head without verbally responding. Meanwhile, Dermot emerged from the
Although puzzled, Benjamin refrained from questioning her outright. Instead, his gaze swept the room. Aside from scattered clothing and discarded food on the floor, nothing seemed amiss. It was logical. After all, someone fleeing in a hurry wouldn't leave traces behind."Where did the woman who was in your room go?" he inquired, his sudden question startling Irina, making her let out a soft gasp.At her reaction, Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed, his gaze growing wary: "What did you ask?" she stammered, fear evident in her voice.Reiterating his query but with more firmness, he watched as Irina visibly shrank back, finally murmuring: "She...she said she had something to do and left. Can...can you not look at me like that? I'm truly scared."Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, every word dripping with fear. Benjamin felt a pang of confusion but, before he could react, she threw herself at him, gripping him tightly: "Please don't go. I'm truly terrified. This place... I can't bear to