Chapter 1 The Return of Stephan Cullen

• It was early morning, and a faint mist shrouded the entire city of Newbridge.
• On a street, Stephan Cullen stood idle under a tree.
• As he looked at the scattered crowd, his emotions surged. He had been in the military for four years, and he wondered how his wife was doing.
• Some passersby paused to glance at him. They couldn’t help but notice that he seemed different.
• Tall and slender, but not overly rugged, he resembled a hawk in the night. His eyes held a deep intensity as if they could swallow the light.
• Suddenly, someone approached him and said, "Sir, we have confirmed that Isabelle is still staying at the place where we know. In addition, there’s another piece of news."
• The speaker was Landon Miles, one of Stephan’s four guardians. He was known for his swift actions, though at the moment, he seemed hesitant.
• "Speak," said Stephan.
• Seeing Stephan frown, Landon snapped out of it and spoke with a sense of urgency. "The Hart family is hosting a matchmaking event for Isabelle today at the Regal Hotel."
• Hearing that, Stephan’s frown deepened as he recalled how four years ago, he had also met and married Isabelle Hart through a similar event.
• "Is this for Evelyn?" he asked.
• Evelyn Hart, the younger sister of Isabelle, was a bold woman with a fiery personality. Though she didn’t match her sister's beauty, she was still quite attractive.
• "No, it’s for Isabelle." At those words, Landon began to tremble slightly, clearly afraid.
• He knew full well about Stephan who had guarded the borders for four years. His reputation struck fear across vast lands, deterring anyone from daring to challenge him.
• He had earned great merit in defending the country and was one of the three contenders for the title of the Champion of Valor, which was why he had returned home in glory. Yet now, his wife was about to participate in a matchmaking event. He must have been livid.
• Buzz!
• Suddenly, a strong wind swept in from nowhere. With a loud crash, the large tree beside me fell to the ground, uprooted.
• Landon bowed his head, enduring the terrifying pressure radiating from Stephan.
• "The Hart family, huh? What do they think of Isabelle and me? Let’s go to the Regal Hotel now," Stephan ordered.
• With a respectful nod, Landon raised his hand in a commanding gesture as Stephan got into the car. "Move!"
• The engine of a Mercedes G63 roared to life. Not far down the street, several more G63s appeared, all identical and without license plates. Half an hour later, outside the Regal Hotel, the crowd suddenly stopped in its tracks, eyes wide with shock.
• A convoy of 20 brand-new Mercedes G63 SUVs rolled up. The sight alone was enough to sweep the entire street with awe.
• "Wow, who could that be? There’s no one in all of Newbridge who owns that many G63s!"
• "No kidding. Each one costs over 200 thousand dollars. Twenty of them... I can’t even imagine."
• Amidst the murmurs, the lead car came to a halt. Stephan stepped out from the back and glanced up at the hotel sign before striding toward the entrance.
• Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder echoed in the distance as dark clouds gathered in the sky. The crowd instinctively moved aside, avoiding even a glance at his seemingly calm yet turbulent eyes.
• "He is so cool! If I could marry a man like him, I’d die happy."
• "Keep dreaming! He’s not only handsome and cool, but he’s rich too. Do you really think someone like you could land him?"
• As the voices gradually faded, Stephan entered the hotel.
• Meanwhile, on the fifth floor, a banquet hall was already bustling with people, most of whom were there for the Hart family’s matchmaking event.
• On the eighth floor, in a suite, a woman in a light blue backless evening gown stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. Even from behind, her figure could make countless men swoon.
• She was Isabelle, Stephan’s wife—a woman with both beauty and grace.
• "Belle." A gentle voice came from the middle-aged man sitting on the sofa. His tone carried deep guilt.
• He was William Hart, the father of Isabelle.
• Isabelle turned around, revealing her stunning face, though the sorrow in her eyes contrasted sharply with her appearance.
• "The list of the participants is here. You should take a look at it," William said to her.
• Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged woman sitting across from him, Isabelle’s mother, Laura Hart, slammed the table and cursed, "Have you seen the people who showed up? There’s someone who’s mentally unstable, someone disabled, and even someone who’s downright crazy!"
• She shot a furious glare at William, who sat silently with his head down. Her anger surged again. "This is all your fault! At least the first time we chose Stephan, he was normal! But this time?"
• "Also, do you see your father and brothers here? They just sent a few juniors in the family as if this whole thing was a joke! Are they insulting us?"