"You can't do this, child… How can you marry him without any intimation? He is not good for you," said Vivienne Blackwood, tears streaming down her face. She never imagined her eldest daughter would marry someone like this.

Before anyone could respond, a shadow moved swiftly across the room.

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the room. Lilith stumbled and fell, her cheeks burning. Anger flared in her eyes as she looked up. Standing before her was the one person she both feared and respected her father, Theodore Blackwood.

"Father…" she murmured.

"Silence!" he roared. "You fool. No one from the Ravencroft family is worthy of marrying into ours. They're a cursed lineage—sins carried over from their ancestors. And you… you disgraced us by running away from the wedding stage and marrying him."

Victor Ravencroft, Lilith's new husband, stood nearby, watching the scene unfold with a cold smirk. His gaze swept over Lilith, and though his face revealed little, his mind was already weighing her worth.

He strode forward and caught Lilith's arm, steadying her.

"Father, she's pregnant," he said bluntly. "How could you treat her like this?"

The weight of his words settled heavily over the room. Vivienne and Theodore's expressions darkened in unison.

"P-Pregnant?" Vivienne stammered, her voice trembling.

Lilith's lips curved into a faint smile. "Yes, Mother. I'm eight weeks pregnant. We're expecting twins. If anything happens to them, I'll sever all ties with this family."

She turned her fiery gaze to her father. "As much as I've always respected you, Father, you should respect my husband. He's not some bastard. He's the father of my children."

Lilith reached for Victor's hand, and together, they faced her parents.

The room was thick with tension. Onlookers whispered among themselves, their murmurs adding to the growing unease.

Theodore Blackwood, the sole heir to the Blackwood empire, stood rigid, his fists clenched. The Blackwood family had emigrated from the wealthy and sophisticated Country A to Country C generations ago, aiming to enrich the latter's cultural heritage. Known for their mastery of the arts—music, calligraphy, painting—the Blackwood's had built a legacy of refinement and prestige. Now, that legacy teetered on the edge of scandal.

Vivienne's voice broke through the whispers. "Lilith… why didn't you come to us? We could have…" Her voice faltered as tears welled up again.

Lilith's resolve did not waver. "Because you never would have listened, Mother. You only see the surface. Victor isn't perfect, but neither am I. He loves me, and that's enough."

Victor's eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction as he squeezed Lilith's hand. The onlookers continued their hushed speculation, but the young couple stood firm, their defiance unmistakable.

Theodore's jaw tightened. "This isn't over," he growled. "From this moment, the Blackwood family severs all ties with you, Lilith. You are no longer one of us." He turned sharply and walked away, his steps heavy with finality. Vivienne hesitated, her gaze darting between her daughter and her husband, before following him in silence.

Lilith held her head high, pride evident on her face as she stood beside her husband. Victor, on the other hand, wore a conflicted expression. He hadn't anticipated that Theodore, his father-in-law, would so decisively sever ties with them upon learning of Lilith's pregnancy.

A chill ran down Victor's spine as he contemplated the implications. Without the Blackwood family's support, how could he return to the Ravencroft household? Their union had been meant to bridge the divide between the two powerful families, to strengthen their standing. But now, the bridge had been burned, leaving him stranded.

Lilith, noticing the unease in Victor's eyes, tightened her grip on his hand. "We'll be fine, Victor," she said firmly. "The Blackwood's may have turned their backs on us, but we have each other… and our children. That's all that matters."

Victor exhaled slowly, nodding. "You're right," he murmured, though doubt lingered in his heart. He knew that without the Blackwood name, their future would be fought with challenges.

The onlookers who had remained began to disperse, their whispers fading into the background. The spectacle was over, but its repercussions were only beginning.

Lilith happily hugged Victor, not caring about the dangers that could loom over her future. Victor, however, couldn't shake the weight of what had just happened. He looked over at the Blackwood family, their backs turned in silence, and noticed a sleek sports car waiting in the distance. The driver was Maximus Blackwood, his 18-year-old brother-in-law. His presence felt like a strange reminder of the ties still lingering, despite the rift.

Victor's mind drifted back to Lilith's relationship with her younger brother, Maximus. There was a significant age gap as ten years—but despite the years that separated them, they shared a bond that was closer than most siblings.

Victor's thoughts turned to a decision he had made months ago, one that was already set into motion. He had sent a girl—carefully chosen and well-trained—toward Maximus with the intent of drawing him into his web. Maximus was the key to entering the Blackwood family more deeply, and Victor knew that the younger Blackwood was not like the others. He had an open mind, untainted by the rigid traditions that controlled the rest of the family. If the girl could establish a connection with Maximus, it could provide Victor with an ally on the inside, someone who could help him gain access to Blackwood's influence.

The plan was still in its early stages, but Victor's calculations were precise. If it played out as he hoped, Maximus would become an unwitting pawn in his strategy, ultimately giving Victor the means to manipulate the Blackwood's from within. And once he had control over the Blackwood's, he would use their connections to push deeper into Ravencroft territory. With Maximus by his side, Victor's reach could expand beyond his wildest dreams.

Victor's mind was racing with calculations and strategies. He knew the power dynamics at play, and he needed control over the situation. The Blackwood's were easier to manipulate, with their tightly knit family structure and a strong cultural lineage spanning three generations in Country C. If Lilith gave birth to their children, particularly if they were sons, he could secure his position within both the Blackwood and Ravencroft families. A united front with the Blackwood's could elevate him to a place of influence, even possibly within the government's inner circle.

But as he plotted, he was jolted from his thoughts by Lilith's voice. Her sudden words threw him off balance.

"What?" he muttered, startled.

Lilith, seeing his confusion, frowned. "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

Victor quickly masked his emotions, flashing a fake smile. "Of course, I was just thinking about our future… and our children."

Lilith's face lit up with a smile. "Yeah! I hope both are sons. That way, you'll have an upper hand in Ravencroft."

Her innocent optimism was a stark contrast to the scheming thoughts swirling in his mind, but he couldn't help but be reassured by her support. For now, she was on his side—yet he knew that the game they were playing was far from simple.

His game to the throne of power has begun.