Wrong Marriage and Sweet Love

Secret contact point. Joyce leaned against Luther’s shoulder, her breathing steadied a bit.

“How are you holding up? You can rest for a while, I’ll hold you,” Luther asked softly. Darrin handed over a towel. Luther carefully wiped her sweat away.

“Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat.”

Joyce shook her head. “I’m not hungry. I might not be able to hold on; I may have to go back.” Her voice was faint.

Luther’s arms tightened around her. He couldn’t just watch her walk back into danger. “I want to go with you and talk to him.”

“Talk about what?” Joyce was puzzled.

“I want to see if we can reconcile,” Luther’s eyes flashed with determination.

“Reconcile? How is that possible?” Joyce frowned. Clint was a stubborn person who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. The word “reconciliation” probably didn’t exist in Clint’s dictionary.

Luther held her close and kissed her cheek. “Over the years, thinking back on our journey, it hasn’t been easy. Ricky, Charlotte, Yu Chengxian, Athena-they were all tough to deal with, each time costing us more and more. And they were nothing compared to Clint. His identity, status, nationality-all very special. His abilities and methods are extraordinary. Are we really going to start a war between two countries after an internal conflict? We’d never have peace again.”

Darrin remained silent. Peace had only lasted a little over a hundred years. No one wanted war-families torn apart, lives lost.

“I can’t contact the outside world right now, but when I get the chance, I must telegraph the Marshal and his wife about Clint holding the Young Marshal hostage. If Clint doesn’t release him soon, the Marshal will inevitably lead an army to the border,” Darrin said solemnly. “Clint must have considered the consequences from the start.”

“Negotiation is indeed a way out,” Darrin thought for a moment and agreed with Luther’s idea. “And it’s the quickest way.”

After experiencing so much, he didn’t want the Young Marshal and Mr. Warner to go through more turmoil; no one could endure it.

“Mr. Warner, do you have any ideas?” Darrin asked.

Luther shook his head. “This is no small matter; I need to think it through.”

“But what leverage do we have to negotiate with him?” Joyce’s face was pale; her life was in Clint’s hands. What leverage did they have? Clint feared nothing.

“And… he’s forcing me to go back…” Joyce’s stomach began to spasm again. “I might not last long; I have to go back once more. You can’t come with me; he doesn’t know you’ve entered Rohomes yet-you can’t expose yourself easily.”

“But… how can I let you face this alone?” Luther held Joyce tightly, unwilling to let go. He knew she was in pain and couldn’t bear it either way.

“Mr. Warner shouldn’t go; I can,” Darrin suggested. “I can go with the Young Marshal. She has a legitimate reason for coming out-to meet me. My secret mission in Rohomes is over; my only task now is to ensure her safety.”

Joyce thought for a moment, “That works; having a trusted aide with me won’t give Clint any reason to object.”

Luther clenched his fists, released them, then clenched them again, struggling with letting go. After so much effort crossing mountains and rivers to find her and holding her in his arms, he had to watch her return to another man’s side? But if he didn’t let her go, she would continue suffering-how could he bear that?

Thinking of this made him want to tear Clint apart, but he couldn’t.

He needed a thorough plan to reconcile quickly and bring Joyce home; otherwise, if war broke out, years of uncertainty lay ahead-the worst outcome.

Finally, he nodded gently, “Alright. Be careful and act accordingly.”

He hugged Joyce tighter, “Let me hold you a little longer.”

Joyce nodded and hugged Luther back.

At that moment, silence filled the air.

Darrin turned away, leaving them their brief moment of peace.

Joyce had an idea forming in her mind-dangerous but worth trying.

Perhaps she could steal Dawnblade.

Pain could be endured; she wasn’t afraid of it. She decided to return to Clint because she wanted to try stealing Dawnblade. With both Dawnblade and the jade seal in Reuben’s possession, he could rally other families and overthrow Clint soon enough.

With this thought, she felt a bit more spirited.

Luther held Joyce for a long time until nearly dawn.

Joyce whispered softly, “I should go.”

“Hmm.” Luther released Joyce reluctantly; he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words-any words of comfort seemed powerless.

In the end, he simply said, “Never forget that I’m always waiting for you.”

Joyce nodded, “Don’t worry.”

She would be cautious and wouldn’t act rashly without certainty-if she acted, she had to succeed.

“Darrin, take care of Joyce,” Luther looked at Darrin.

Darrin vowed solemnly, “I will protect her with my life.”

Luther handed two items to Joyce-a brooch-shaped pistol and a pen-shaped gun-both very discreet weapons that might come in handy.

Joyce nodded in acknowledgment.

Luther escorted them out of the secret contact point.

“I’ll be waiting here for your news.”

“Alright.”

Joyce and Darrin disappeared into the dark night until they were no longer visible around the corner.

Clint’s mansion was some distance away.

About an hour later,

Joyce appeared at Clint’s mansion gate where security had doubled since before.

A guard who recognized Joyce quickly let her in but stopped Darrin outside.

“Inform him that I’ve returned,” Joyce stood beside Darrin.

Moments later,

Clint walked out.

His demeanor was calm and elegant without any visible disturbance; only his dark eyes showed an unclear meaning.

“Had enough fun outside? Finally decided to come back?”

Seeing Joyce made him smile faintly.

“You’re tougher than I thought.”

“Heh… It’s tolerable.”

Joyce smiled indifferently too and pointed at Darrin.

“This is my personal guard-you let me bring him along because I went out looking for him-I need someone trustworthy by my side.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“You think you’re in any position to negotiate terms with me?” Clint glanced at the moonlight above indifferently.