Zaiyila sighed inwardly. "What nonsense is she spouting now? I'm the victim here. She sold me away, and now she's acting righteous?" she thought, clenching her fists tightly.
"She loved him very much. Even though I opposed this marriage, she insisted on marrying him. As my most beloved daughter, I don't want any harm to befall her and I don't want her to have a unhappy marriage, I could only beg him to grant her a wedding. Even if it's just a pre-wedding, at least I tried my best for her," the woman wiped her tears with a tissue.
"Oh well, she didn't even leave me with a good reputation," Zaiyila mused but remained silent.
"What a waste of beauty, to insist on marrying a bald man with seventy-seven wives. It's obvious she's just after his wealth!"
"I don't even understand why this woman cares so much about such a useless daughter. So wrong."
"If I were the mother, I'd just sell her to a brothel since she refuses to be useful at all!"
People started whispering insults, but their words were not what worried Zaiyila the most. What truly unsettled her was the fact that no one was mentioning her tattoo, even though it was clearly visible.
"Could it be that they can't see it? Or are they choosing to ignore it? Could they really be that kind?" she wondered.
"Enough, everyone! Do not insult my precious daughter! She did nothing wrong!" the middle-aged woman defended her, grasping Zaiyila's hand. "Dear, if you ever experience danger out there, just come back to Mama. Mama will definitely do something," she gazed deeply into Zaiyila's eyes.
Zaiyila wanted to smirk. "Do something? Come back to Mama? Isn't that a clear warning that if I dare to break this marriage later, she will retaliate?" she thought, but she only nodded her head.
The middle-aged woman smiled. "Then I will escort you—" She couldn't finish her sentence as someone suddenly rushed in.
He was breathing heavily, his expression full of fear, and he looked as if he was about to wet himself.
"What is it?" the woman asked, her voice thick with irritation. Realizing she was losing her temper, she took a deep breath. Thankfully, the people were too focused on the man who had just entered and didn't seem to notice her change in demeanor.
"Mr. Rogers… Mr. Rogers was bitten to death by snakes!" the man announced, looking horrified.
A stunned silence fell over the hall—so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.
Zaiyila's eyes widened in shock. She instinctively glanced at her shoulder. "How?" she thought, her brows knitting together.
The middle-aged woman stepped toward the man who had spoken. She wanted to slap him hard, but she knew she couldn't act so recklessly in public. "You… You must be mistaken, right?" she uttered.
"Mrs. Delirah, I didn't make a mistake! We were just on our way here when our car was suddenly surrounded by snakes. We don't even know how they got inside, but they attacked and killed him! It was as if they were sent to kill him. I don't even understand how I managed to escape," the man reported.
Mrs. Delirah staggered back, her mind racing. Even though she didn't want to believe it, the truth was undeniable. Whether she liked it or not, she had to accept it.
"So… Mr. Rogers is dead! What a horrible way to die."
"Looks like the wedding won't be happening anymore."
"Snakes killed Mr. Rogers? This is insane! His death is terrifying!"
"Don't talk about it. Mr. Rogers wasn't a good person either he deserves it."
Mrs. Delirah glanced at Zaiyila, who stood lost in thought, and exhaled deeply. "Then this marriage is canceled… we—" She wasn't able to finish her sentence before a loud scream echoed.
Everyone turned toward the entrance, their eyes snapping to the source of the voice. A female maid came running inside at full speed. Before anyone could question her, several snakes slithered in at an alarming pace.
"What the hell?!"
Panic erupted as the snakes spread out, surrounding the hall and trapping everyone in a circle.
"These… These snakes are colorful… aren't they the—"
"The Snake King's servants!" someone interrupted loudly, stunning everyone. "How are they here? Aren't they supposed to be in the underworld, serving the King?"
Shivers ran down everyone's spines. The snakes didn't strike immediately, but their stillness only meant they were waiting for an order.
"Who offended the Snake King?!"
Everyone was trembling, already formulating words to plead for their lives.
Zaiyila gazed at the snakes. The longer she looked, the happier she felt. It was as if her rightful groom had arrived. All she wanted to do now was lean into his embrace and cry out all her suffering.
As she stared at the snakes, none of them dared to meet her gaze. The moment her eyes landed on them, they bowed, one after another. This only deepened Zaiyila's confusion.
Mrs. Delirah's brows furrowed as she studied the creatures. "These snakes are here… That means their King is near. If I can betroth her to him, he will surely reward me greatly," she thought, a sinister smile creeping onto her face. "It's good that Rogers died. This gives me a perfect opportunity."
A chilling, demonic voice echoed through the hall, freezing everyone in place and sending waves of fear through their hearts.
"How lively things are here!"
The moment the voice resonated, a chair suddenly appeared in the middle of the hall. The crowd immediately made way as a handsome man materialized on the seat.
He had long, flowing black hair, and his deep, sharp brows framed his intense gaze. Peculiar, elegant horns adorned his head, adding to his mesmerizing presence. His shirt was left unbuttoned, revealing his muscular, powerful chest.
His skin had a slightly golden hue, and he was so strikingly handsome that no one could resist his overwhelming charm.
At the sight of him, no one dared to remain standing. One by one, they fell to their knees—except for Zaiyila, who remained rooted to the spot, stunned.
Just looking at this strange man, she couldn't help but recall the memories from her dreams. Her face flushed immediately.
"Damn! Before he arrived, just thinking about that dream annoyed me. But now that he's in front of me, remembering those moments actually feels… right."
"Wait, what am I thinking? I've seen handsome men before. There's no reason to be having such thoughts! But those horns… Damn, they're too… Wait! Why does a man have horns on his head? And why is everyone kneeling?" she blinked repeatedly.
Mrs. Delirah had already broken out in a cold sweat when she noticed Zaiyila still standing.
"This bastard is going to get us all killed!" she gritted her teeth, wanting to slap Zaiyila hard. But she knew she was in the presence of the mighty King and couldn't act recklessly.