Experience more on empire
"You didn't have to come," Adam said, shooting a pointed glance at Luna-Evelyn, who sat beside him in the car.
On his other side was Julius, sitting in silence.
The three of them were riding in Irisdina's personal vehicle, heading toward the Vermillion main household to meet with the head of the Vermillion family, who was reportedly furious after the recent incident at his private construction site.
The workers, having witnessed the chaos unfold like something out of a catastrophic action movie, had been utterly terrified. They wasted no time in contacting their clients, and soon, word of the disaster reached Irisdina's father.
Naturally, the World Order was required to provide answers. Luna-Evelyn had been the first to volunteer for the meeting, despite Ophelia and Julius urging her to stay behind and recover alongside Stephen.
But Luna-Evelyn refused to stand down. As the team leader, she felt it was her responsibility to handle the situation. In the end, Ophelia stayed back with Stephen, while Julius accompanied Luna-Evelyn. He was, after all, the most eloquent of the group.
"You didn't have to come," Adam repeated. Luna-Evelyn turned her head, giving him a look that said plainly, 'Are you serious right now?'
Unfortunately for Adam, her sentiment was shared by everyone else in the car. His presence, they felt, was the least necessary of all.
But Adam had his reasons. He had no intention of letting this incident spiral into a larger issue. If the investigation dug too deep, the fabricated story about him being connected to Horizon might unravel. Beyond that, he also had a personal interest in meeting Irisdina's father. If keeping things calm meant tagging along, then so be it.
"What are you even doing here, Adam?" Luke finally broke the silence with a wry chuckle, leaning slightly toward him.
"You're in no position to ask that, Luke," Agatha shot back.
"And neither are you," Luke grimaced.
"Luke, Agatha… Enough. Both of you should leave…" Irisdina said.
Her expression was far from calm. She rubbed her hands nervously.
"There's no way we're leaving you to face him alone!" Agatha replied, angrily."We were there at the beginning of this mess. We share responsibility!"
Luke nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed. They both understood the gravity of the situation—and the temper of Irisdina's father. Leaving her to confront him alone was unthinkable.
Irisdina sighed, clearly torn, but didn't press the issue further.
"We've arrived, Miss," Bastian said, a bit nervous as well, as he stepped out of the car. He quickly moved to open the door for Irisdina.
Irisdina exited, lifting her gaze to take in the imposing sight before her. The Vermillion main household loomed like a fortress, far from the elegance of a typical mansion. Its towering structure and austere design made it clear: this was a place of power.
A group of individuals stood waiting at the entrance, their expressions hard and unwelcoming. They were members of the Vermillion family, their piercing gazes heavy with judgment. Irisdina hesitated, her confidence faltering under their scrutiny.
But then, someone brushed past her without a second thought. She caught the flutter of a white lab coat and recognized Adam's unassuming figure moving ahead. Hands tucked casually into his coat pockets, he strode forward without the faintest trace of apprehension on his face.
Luna-Evelyn followed close behind him, her composure equally unshaken. Their indifference to the oppressive atmosphere gave Irisdina a small but vital boost of courage. She took a steadying breath and forced herself to step forward.
The group was quickly met by a butler, who led them through the grand halls and up a sweeping staircase. The air grew heavier with every step until they reached a peculiar door—one that made Irisdina not feel good at all..
It was a door she had dreaded for as long as she could remember.
-Knock
"Milord, Lady Irisdina has arrived," the butler announced formally.
"Enter."
The butler pushed the door open, revealing a tall man seated behind an ornate desk, his attention focused on the documents spread before him. Even without looking closely, Adam could immediately tell he was related to Irisdina. His vermillion-orange hair—a striking trait of the family—was evidence enough.
As Irisdina and the others stepped into the room, the butler quietly exited, closing the door behind them.
"Father…" Irisdina called hesitantly.
Her words went unanswered, save for the persistent scratch of a pen gliding across paper. The sound was almost deafening in the silence.
Three figures stood flanking Vincent Vermillion, upright and stoic. Their eyes and rigid postures made them seem like statues carved from stone. Irisdina recognized them instantly.
They weren't just bodyguards. They were seasoned warriors—A-rank elites she had sparred against countless times. Each defeat etched into her memory along the pain.
"Lord Vermillion, we have come to sincerely apologize for what transpired on Long Street," Julius spoke up seeing he wasn't answering his daughter. "An unexpected lead emerged regarding a dangerous criminal and a Book tied to the Devil, which brought us to your construction site. Unfortunately, the situation escalated into a confrontation, and we were forced to act."
Vincent Vermillion continued writing. A dozen seconds passed before he set the pen down, lifted his gaze, and fixed his piercing eyes on his daughter.
"On whose authority did you grant them access to my territory?" H asked, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.
"I—I…" Irisdina faltered, her father's oppressive stare freezing her words in her throat.
"I—It's not her fault, Milord," Luke spoke up, attempting to defend her. "The World Order suspected—"
"Out."
Vincent's command cut Luke off mid-sentence. Without so much as a glance, he raised a hand toward one of his guards. The imposing figure stepped forward, taking hold of both Luke and Agatha, and began ushering them toward the door.
"Hey! Wait!" Agatha protested, but her words fell on deaf ears.
Vincent had no interest in Irisdina's friends. He already knew enough about them and had decided they had no place in this discussion—or in his house.
"Answer me," he asked again, his eyes boring into his daughter.
"It was at my request," Luna-Evelyn replied in her stead.
Vincent shifted his gaze to her, his expression as unreadable as ever. Luna-Evelyn didn't flinch, meeting his stare head-on.
Without a word, Vincent reached for a file on his desk. He opened it, scanning its contents before speaking. "Luna-Evelyn Salvador. Former student and adopted daughter of one of New Earth and Arcadia's most wanted criminals."
Luna-Evelyn's fists tightened at his words.
"I have no need for excuses from someone who might betray her own kind at any moment," Vincent said with a cold scoff.
"Milord, that's going too far," Julius intervened, his brow furrowed in disapproval. "If that man had remained, the damage he could have caused would've been irreparable. Constructing an apartment complex with someone like him operating underground was a monumental risk. We neutralized a threat that could have cost you dearly."
"And what?" Vincent replied coldly, his eyes narrowing. "You expect me to feel grateful for your interference?"
"Not at all," Julius replied calmly. "I'm merely stating that we had to act swiftly to eliminate a dangerous threat—one that could have cost thousands of innocent lives. As for the damages incurred, the World Order will ensure full compensation."
Vincent chuckled. "You invade my territory without my authorization, destroy my property, endanger my people, and now you think offering me money will make it all disappear?" He leaned forward slightly. "Money, I have in abundance—enough to last ten lifetimes. What I do not tolerate, however, is a foreign organization with no authority over my world trespassing into my domain and tarnishing my name."
"That wasn't our intention…" Julius replied
"Perhaps," Vincent said as he abruptly stood.
He strode toward Irisdina, who remained rooted in place, her gaze fixed on the floor. She looked utterly defeated, too intimidated to lift her eyes or speak in her own defense.
"The fault may lie heavily with my daughter," Vincent said, his words biting.
Raising his hand, he prepared to strike.
Everyone in the room knew what was about to happen.
But before the blow could land, a figure stepped forward, intercepting Vincent's hand.
It was Adam.
He stood between Vincent and Irisdina, his hand gripping the older man's wrist. Slowly, he looked up at Vincent, his expression as calm as ever but there was a hint of coldness.
"Or perhaps the fault lies with her father."