"Who dares to cause trouble here?!" Ethan bellowed, his face red with fury.
Elijah's gaze fixed on him, steady and fearless, saying confidently, "I do!” His voice calm and commanding, carrying an authority that made everyone in the room tense up.
"And if you lay another finger on her, you'll regret it."
The room fell silent.
All the members of the Donald family were in disbelief that someone had barged into their home and threatened them.
Who was he? What was he doing here?
Suddenly, Reno recognized him and shouted, "It's you!"
He then pointed at Elijah and yelled excitedly at Ethan, "Grandpa, he's the one who had an affair with Sophia—the culprit behind the breakdown of our alliance with the Shaw family!"
"Guards, come quickly and capture this guy!" Reno shouted, trying to summon the guards to seize Elijah.
Elijah crossed his arms and scoffed, "No need to waste your effort; the guards outside have already been taken care of by me."
Everyone stared at Elijah, sensing the danger he radiated.
Ethan clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing as he tried to maintain his composure.
"You think you can come into my house and threaten me?" He growled, trying to hide his fear.
"Are you not afraid of death?" He asked fiercely
Elijah smirked, his eyes narrowing with a predatory glint, and responded, "I don't fear death, old man. But maybe you are."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat. Though this man was threatening her families, she felt he’s cool. She knew he was here for her.
A mix of relief and worry washed over her. She then started to worry about him, thinking he could not resist her family.
"Please, Grandpa, Don't hurt him. He didn't mean to—" Sophia begged.
"Shut up, you disgrace!" Ethan barked, his hand raising to strike her again, his face twisted with anger.
Before the hand landed on Sophia’s face, Elijah quickly grabbed Ethan's wrist.
The force of his grip made Ethan wince, his eyes widening in shock.
"Don't touch her, or I’ll break your arms." Elijah warned, his voice icy and freezing.
Ethan's eyes widened, both in pain and fury. His bravado faltered for a moment.
"You dare threaten me in my own house?!" he spat, trying to mask his fear with anger.
Elijah's grip tightened, his expression unyielding.
"I don't make threats. I make promises."
Ethan stared at him, his anger momentarily replaced by fear.
He could sense Elijah's strength—far beyond his expectation.
His eyes darted around the room, searching for support, but all of them lowered head as if taking an ant observation lesson.
"What do you want?" Ethan asked in a deep voice.
Elijah didn't answer him; instead, he smiled at Sophia and said, "Don't worry, I'm taking you away from here right now!"
Ethan felt humiliated; this man completely disregarded him, and it was infuriating!
Feeling the pain in his wrist, he resentfully shouted, "I agree to let you take her, but you need to let go of my arm!"
Once Elijah released his grip, Ethan quickly yanked his arm back, rubbing the swollen area on his wrist, and bitterly mocked, "Take this woman away! I want her expelled from the family; she is no longer a member of the Donald family! If you want to pick up trash, you..."
However, before he could finish his sentence, he was intimidated into silence by Elijah's cold glare.
Sophia's eyes widened in shock, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"No? Grandpa, no—"
Ethan cut her off with a glare, his face hardening.
"You brought this on yourself. You'll marry him, and neither of you will ever step foot in the Donald family again. You are no longer one of us."
Sophia's heart broke. Tears streamed down her face, each drop a silent scream of agony.
"But… but…" she stammered, her voice breaking.
She looked at the faces around her—her family, now turned into cold strangers.
The weight of rejection, like a knife, cut through her heart.
Her mother, May, sneered, her lips curling in disgust.
"Don't expect sympathy, Sophia. You've ruined everything for us. You're not our daughter anymore." Her voice was so indifferent.
Her father, Bob, stood silently, avoiding her gaze and his shoulders sagging with frustration.
Sophia felt a crushing weight in her heart. She was utterly alone.
Reno smirked from the corner, his voice taunting and cruel.
"So, Mr.—whoever," he said, crossing his arms, his tone mocking, "you've set your sights on our family's wealth, huh? But marrying her won't get you anything."
Elijah shot him a cold, piercing look.
"If I wanted your family's wealth, you'd already be on the streets and begged for food," he replied, his tone sharp and mocking, each word like a blade.
Reno's smirk faded, replaced by a nervous swallow.
He stepped back slightly, muttering, "Tch, whatever," looking away, his bravado crumbling.
Elijah turned back to Sophia, his expression softening slightly.
"Come on," he said softly but firmly, his hand reaching out to her.
"We're leaving."
Sophia, still crying, looked up at him.
She had nowhere else to go. She nodded, wiping her tears with trembling hands.
She felt the warmth of Elijah's hand as he gently helped her up, his grip strong and reassuring.
As they stepped out of the mansion, Sophia gave one last glance at the family she once belonged to.
Then Elijah led Sophia to his car, Doug waiting by the door, his posture straight and alert.
"The Arthur Palace, Doug. " Elijah commanded.
Elijah pretended to cough, interrupting Doug's words. He didn't want Sophia to know his identity and get entangled in his complicated life.
The most important thing right now was to treat her.
Not only was Elijah the invincible God of War in the Southern Military District, but he was also a Dr. Miraculous with mysterious and exceptional medical skills.
Removing the scars from Sophia's face and body was just a piece of cake for him.
Sophia stared in disbelief as the car pulled up in front of a massive, elegant villa."This… this is where you live?" she asked, her voice filled with awe.Elijah glanced at her and nodded."Arthur Palace," he said casually. "Home, for now."He loved Sophia’s bewildered state.Sophia’s eyes widened as she took in the towering pillars, the sprawling gardens, and the grand entrance. She had never seen anything like it."I thought… I thought you were just some arrogant soldier," she muttered.It’s not that she was from a poor family but it was more than her expectations.Elijah smirked."A soldier, yes. But arrogant? Maybe," he said with a shrug."I like to keep people guessing. Come inside."He encouraged Sophia to walk ahead.Sophia felt the cool air as they stepped in and smelled the fresh flowers that decorated the luxurious interior. She couldn’t help but feel out of place."Why are you helping me?" she asked cautiously."You don’t even know me," her voice was mixed with surprise.As
The morning sun streamed through the window as Elijah and Sophia stood before a modest altar, their hands clasped together.The ceremony was simple but heartfelt. Sophia’s heart pounded in her chest."I do," she whispered, her voice steady with determination.Elijah's eyes met hers."I do," he said firmly, sealing their vows.After the ceremony, they returned to the Donald family home where Sophia's father, Bob, lived in a small, worn-down wing of the estate.His influence in the family was minimal, and it showed in his modest surroundings.Sophia's eyes were saddened at the sight."Father," she called softly, approaching him.Bob looked up, his eyes dull."Sophia?" he mumbled, his voice weak.He hadn’t expected her to visit, let alone look so radiant."I’m back, Father," Sophia said, smiling warmly."And I’m married now."Bob’s eyes widened."Married? To him?" he asked, glancing at Elijah with a mix of confusion and fear.Elijah nodded, stepping forward."Yes, sir. I’m Elijah Norton,
Sophia paced nervously around the room, her hands twisting together."How are we supposed to do this, Elijah? The Yale Group is a multinational corporation. Why would they even look at us?" she muttered, her voice filled with doubt.Elijah leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression calm."Stop worrying," he said softly."We’ve got this."Sophia shook her head, still unconvinced."You don’t understand," she said."I know someone there, a high school classmate. Maybe she can help… but it’s a long shot."Elijah blinked."Contact her. It’s worth a try," he encouraged."But I have my own way of handling things. Trust me, by tomorrow, the Yale Group will be begging to work with us."Sophia glanced at him, trying to read his confidence."How can you be so sure?" she asked, biting her lip.Elijah smiled."I’m the Dragon Marshal," he replied simply."And people tend to listen when I speak."Sophia took a deep breath."Alright," she said, nodding."I’ll try my way, and you do yours."
"Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to my father, Rick Shaw, on his eightieth birthday!"Kobe Shaw raised his glass high, his voice booming through the grand hall.The crowd erupted in applause, a sea of elites gathered to honor the Shaw family patriarch. Everyone was so excited.Rick Shaw, seated at the head of the long banquet table, smiled with satisfaction.The grand chandelier above cast a golden glow on his wrinkled face, highlighting the pride in his eyes."Thank you all for being here," he said, his voice strong for his age."The Shaw family has always stood tall, and tonight is proof that we always will."Ethan Donald, standing near the table, stepped forward, his tone humble."Mr. Shaw, I must apologize for the recent troubles caused by my granddaughter," he said, bowing slightly."We are here to mend any rifts and assure our continued loyalty to the Shaw family."Rick Shaw nodded, his expression softening."Ethan, it's good to see you know where your loyalties lie," he replied."
"Grandfather, I’m back," Elijah whispered as he stood in front of his grandfather’s tombstone at the Norton family cemetery.In his hand, he held the severed head of Rick Shaw, blood still dripping from the neck."I’ve brought you a gift," he continued, his voice low but filled with a cold determination.He placed Rick’s head in front of the grave, eyes blazing with vengeance."This is just the beginning," he said."They took everything from us. But I promise you, Grandfather, I will retrieve the Lava Heart. I will restore the Norton name."Doug stood behind him, watching silently."Marshal," he said after a moment, "what’s our next move?"Elijah stared at the head of Rick Shaw, his face expressionless."First, we deal with the rest of the Shaw family. Then we go after the others," he replied."I’m not done until every last one of them pays."Doug nodded, a grin spreading across his face."I’m ready when you are," he said."The Shaw family won't know what hit them."Elijah turned away
"Elijah, I have great news!"Sophia’s voice was bright with excitement over the phone.Elijah smirked, leaning back in his chair at Arthur Palace."What is it, Sophia?" he asked."My high school reunion worked out! Linda helped me secure a potential partnership with the Yale Group!" Sophia exclaimed."We just need to finalize it in person."Elijah chuckled softly."Good job. I knew you could do it," he said."I’ll come to pick you up. Be ready in ten minutes."Sophia giggled."I’ll be waiting!"Elijah hung up the phone and called out, "Doug, get the car. We’re picking up Sophia."Doug grinned, already grabbing the keys."On it, Marshal," he replied....As they drove through the busy streets, Sophia chatted away in the backseat, her excitement bubbling over."It’s been so long since I’ve seen Linda. I was worried she wouldn’t even remember me," she said.Elijah, sitting beside her, glanced over."And how did it go?" he asked.Sophia smiled."Better than I expected. She was really helpf
"Wait for a while," Leonard's words halted their step.Leonard leaned in closer, his smile oozing arrogance."Sophia," he began, his voice low and greasy, "you don’t understand how things work around here. I’m giving you a golden opportunity. Don’t be foolish."Sophia stood her ground, her eyes blazing with defiance."I’ve already said no," she replied, her tone firm."I’m not interested in your kind of deal. Stop repeating the same thing."Leonard’s face darkened."You think you’re better than this?" he sneered."Do you have any idea how many women would kill for a chance like this?"Linda, standing next to him, chimed in, "Sophia, don’t be so naive. Think about the benefits. Think about your family. This could change everything for them."Sophia shook her head."I don’t care," she said sharply."I’m not doing it."Elijah stepped forward, his expression cold."Sophia, don’t waste your breath on these lowlifes," he said."They’re not worth your time."Leonard’s eyes flicked to Elijah,
Elijah leaned back in his seat, a sly smile on his face, calculating the answer for Sophia.She looked at him, her eyes searching."Elijah," she began, "you must be someone important to get that kind of respect from Lando Yale. Are you a big deal?"Elijah shook his head, his expression turning serious."No, Sophia," he said softly."I’m just an orphan. The Emperor's residence isn't mine. It belongs to a friend. I’m only staying there for a while."Sophia reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently."You don’t need to explain, Elijah," she said, her voice kind."I’m your family now. We’re in this together. I’ll earn enough to take care of both of us."Elijah chuckled, his eyes softening."You’re something else, Sophia," he said."But trust me, I’m not a man who needs taking care of."Sophia smiled, her eyes warm."I don’t care," she replied."You took care of me when I had nothing. Now, it’s my turn."Then she grinned by elbowing Elijah softly."C'mon, now you are my man. So, le