novelxo Chapter 1
Wedding events across the country gradually increased during fall.
A high-end Mercedes-Benz was parked on Purdina Street, Dellmoor, and it was blocking the way of a bridal car.
An arrogant-looking elderly man in a suit was standing between the two cars and was talking to Harold Campbell, who was dressed in a groom attire. "After the family discussion, we had decided to make an exception and let you return to the family, Mr. Campbell. Your mother's memorial tablet will also be accepted in the Campbell family's mausoleum as long as you give a nod of your head."
"Allowing my mother's memorial tablet to be placed in the Campbell family's mausoleum?" Harold asked.
Then the unexpected happened. The suit-clad man thought that Harold would be grateful to him. Yet, disdain was evident in Harold's eyes as he announced, "The Campbell family is unworthy to have my mother's memorial tablet! Do me a favor and tell the Campbells that I'll slowly but surely get back what they owe us. Just wait. I'll be sure to take their lives soon," Harold declared. "In the meantime, please take care of the things here, Logan. I have to go pick up my bride."
"Yes, Mr. Campbell!" Logan replied.
With that, Harold left Logan Quigley, his driver, and drove the bridal car away.
The suit-clad man's face turned livid instantly.
The Campbell family is one of the wealthiest families in the north. How could an illegitimate child of a lowborn woman, who was cast out by the family, say that the Campbells aren't worthy?
However, the elderly man froze upon seeing the driver's face.
"Y-You're Logan Quigley?" asked the elderly man, his voice trembling.
The driver only nodded his head indifferently and confirmed his identity.
The elderly man couldn't help but stagger two steps back. His throat was dry as he said, "Could Mr. Campbell be Harold, the God of War? The one who emerged from the blue six years ago? Rumors have it that he ruthlessly managed the underground forces of the entire world, led The Four to defeat thousands of troops, and forced every country to sign the Five-Year Agreement, then disappeared mysteriously."
"Yes. That's him. Mr. Campbell was willing to lie low for five years to give more local companies time to enter the global market and revive the economy. The five years will come to an end tomorrow, and because of him, the world will tremble once more!" Logan exclaimed.
As Logan spoke, a blazing glare flashed in his eyes, causing the old, arrogant man to fall backward over the front of the Mercedes-Benz, a film of sweat glistening on his brow.
Meanwhile, Harold was driving the bridal car and speeding away on the congested road.
Harold was clutching a tiny walnut in addition to the steering wheel. His mind wandered back to the starving and freezing winter of eighteen years ago.
His mother used to work as a housekeeper for the Campbell family, one of the richest families in the north. Harold was the result of a drunken accident between the Campbells' oldest son and his mother. But because of his mother's lowly status, the Campbells tried to maintain their good name by denying that he and his mother were related to the family.
Secrets, however, couldn't be kept a secret forever. The public first learned that Harold was the Campbell family's illegitimate kid the year he turned six. For the sake of the Campbell family's reputation, Harold and his mother were expelled from the family and weren't even permitted to reside in the northern regions.
The two then wandered off to the damp and cool Dellmoor in the winter of that year.
It wasn't until his mother's body turned cold that Harold realized she had frozen to death in a foreign land.
"Take this jacket! And this walnut will bring you peace for a lifetime," said a girl with big eyes who was wearing a walnut bracelet.
Just as Harold was about to freeze to death, the girl handed him a jacket and a tiny walnut.
The girl's voice had a naturally icy tone to it. Yet she spoke with warmth in her words.
And by some miracle, with the help of the jacket and the good fortune of the walnut, Harold was able to survive the cold, starvation-filled winter.
He soon found the girl wearing the walnut bracelet and began pursuing her after finally establishing his reputation.
Moreover, he wished to turn her into the richest and happiest wife in the entire world after today.
Half an hour later, in a beautifully decorated room of a woman stood Harold, holding onto a bouquet.
He was standing before his girlfriend, Brittany Xenos, and the bridesmaid, Isabella Turner.
"Brittany, I thought we agreed on a betrothal present of 200 thousand. Why is there another 300 thousand?" Harold inquired, his gaze fixed on his lovely and appealing girlfriend, who had changed into her wedding gown.
However, his expression was bitter.
Right before this, his future mother-in-law, Mandy, had informed him that she would only permit him to wed Brittany if he were able to contribute an additional 300 thousand to the betrothal gift.
It was because Brittany's younger brother was also getting married the following month. However, the down payment for the bride's family's request for a newlywed home was 300 thousand.
On top of that, Harold's prior betrothal gift of 200 thousand was already utilized to purchase a car.
Mandy, who was eavesdropping outside the door, pushed it open with a commanding presence. "It's not my intention to make things challenging for you, Harold. But we don't have much choice. Since Brittany only has one brother, shouldn't the both of you assist him as his sister and brother-in-law? Who else could it be if not you two, right?"
After giving the matter some thought, Harold offered a suggestion, "I understand. However, the 200 thousand is all I have from my years of savings. I've given you everything I have. It would be difficult for me to obtain an additional 300 thousand right away. Why not let Brittany and I finish the wedding ceremony first? After today, I'll give you any amount you want as the betrothal gift.”
The five years would finally come to an end after midnight. The money and power would then return to Harold's hands.
300 thousand would be nothing to him.
Mandy was enraged as she spat, "Hey, Campbell. Do you think of me as a fool? You have two choices now. Either you make a call to someone to get me the 300 thousand betrothal gift, or you break up with my daughter this instant. How am I supposed to trust you to take care of my daughter if you can't even spit out 300 thousand?"
Harold immediately turned to his girlfriend. "Brittany, the guests are all waiting for us at the hotel. What's your say in this?"
"I'll take my mom's advice. I only have one brother. If I don't assist him, who will? You're a capable man. If you can't even obtain 300 thousand on your hands, I believe it'll be best for us to end our relationship," Brittany answered.
She threatened Harold by saying that she would end their relationship.
"Do you really want to end our relationship?" Harold asked, looking furious. After that night, he would be able to make her the richest and most powerful wife in the world. Yet, she chose to end their relationship
"Believing in your sweet words and getting involved with a useless man like you is the one thing I regret most in my life," she said. With a steely attitude, Brittany gave it her utmost to belittle Harold.
Isabella could no longer endure watching it. "You two should, in my opinion, carry on with the wedding ceremony there, Brittany. We can still talk about your brother's insufficient down payment in the future."
Harold shot Isabella a grateful glance.
He had always been grateful to Isabella.
Harold was aware that, despite Isabella's outward coldness, she had a nice, generous heart. Without Isabella's covert assistance, he wouldn't have been able to effortlessly win Brittany over.
Isabella nodded. Her eyes showed sympathy.
The sight of the two exchanging glances fell into Brittany's eyes, making her feel immensely displeased.
"Why are you being so pretentious, Isabella? How could you ask me to get married to a piece of useless trash that can't even provide me with 300 thousand? It seems like I was wrong about you. I'll return you your stupid bracelet. Why don't you get married to him if you want to pity this useless piece of trash," Brittany spat.
With that, she took off the walnut bracelet from her wrist and threw it to Isabella.
Harold fixed an intense look on Isabella after taking possession of the walnut bracelet. "You gave her this walnut bracelet? When did this happen?”
"Six years ago," Isabella answered. As usual, her response was concise.
However, Harold felt a buzz in his head as his eyes widened.
The owner of the bracelet was Isabella. She was the big-eyed girl from eighteen years ago who gave him the jacket and the walnut.
He had mistakenly loved Brittany for five years!
Harold suddenly offered the bouquet in his hand to Isabella and said, with great emotion, "Would you marry me, Isabella? As long as you nod, I swear I'll appreciate you, love you, and guard you for the rest of your life. I'll make you the happiest woman alive!"