Chapter 475 - 217: "Hi, Wife!

Sean was Carl Black, and Daeli was Carl Black’s wife. In terms of family status, Daeli ranked higher than Elvire. This looked for all the world like he was having an affair right in front of his wife. If Daeli were to find out, Elise would probably be carried out of here sideways tonight...

Sean finally understood the source of his ominous premonition.

It took him a great deal of effort to compose himself. He slowly turned and gave Daeli an awkward yet polite smile. "What a coincidence, Miss Daeli. I didn’t expect to run into you here."

"Mm... Long time no see."

Daeli had noticed Elise the moment she entered with Sean.

There is sometimes an innate animosity between women, especially beautiful ones.

Hearing Sean’s exceptionally formal address, Daeli’s Tier Ten aura instantly flared. The entire, vast banquet hall began to resonate with the hum of Magic Power. Her voice was a paradox, filled with longing yet as frigid as a deep winter wind:

"’Long time no see,’ and you call me ’Miss Daeli’?"

"What, are you afraid people will find out we’re close? Worried it’ll bring you shame?"

Sean: "..."

’It’s over... It’s really over.’

After all these years, Daeli was still as assertive as ever.

This was exactly why he had wanted to avoid her for the time being.

’I can’t handle her right now.’

But Daeli couldn’t be bothered with all that.

She only knew that the man she had been waiting for had finally returned.

She had waited so long for this day and should have been overjoyed. Yet this man had just tried to pretend he didn’t know her, turn on his heel and leave, and even called her "Miss Daeli."

All the joy in Daeli’s heart vanished in an instant.

She wasn’t the kind of woman to lose all reason during a long-awaited reunion with her beloved.

On the contrary, Daeli was perfectly rational.

She could see that Sean was addressing her this way because he didn’t want to expose his identity.

But she could also tell that his instinctive avoidance was born from a guilty conscience.

’Miss Daeli...’

’What a polite way to address me.’

Daeli found it laughable, and the more she dwelled on it, the angrier she became.

She didn’t think his desire to hide his identity was a valid reason to keep his distance from her. Because she was Tier Ten.

The strongest member of the Grev Family was Viscount Mockray, who was approaching Tier Eight. He was followed by his wife, a Tier Seven, and then a crowd of Tier Sixes, including Howard. To put it bluntly, in her eyes, the entire Grev Castle was like a sandcastle—a toy she could topple with a single hand. No matter what Sean said today, and whether or not his identity was exposed, as long as she didn’t want Mockray and the others to remember, they *would not* remember.

’So, no one could accuse her of disregarding the bigger picture.’

In the face of absolute Power, she *was* the bigger picture.

Whether Sean was willing or not, he had to give her an explanation today: where he had gone for all these years, what he had been doing, and he had to call her by a name she actually wanted to hear.

Meanwhile, Viscount Mockray, his wife, and Howard were already too terrified to even breathe.

For the past two days, Daeli had given them the impression of being elegant and poised, far gentler than the reputation of the Blazing Angel Family would suggest. The family had even privately remarked on how misleading rumors were; Duke Daeli was clearly easy to get along with and had no airs about her at all.

Only now, seeing Daeli unleash her full aura to confront Sean, with the air roiling with Magic Power and the whole banquet hall WHOOSHING as if battered by a hurricane, did they understand the capricious moods of those in power. Her terrifying rage was a direct match for her usual gentleness.

A group of maids were already huddled in a corner, trembling.

Only the hired pianist, fighting back against the immense pressure, continued to play the now-mangled piece with trembling fingers.

The Mockray family was busy speculating.

’Just who in the world is this Sean? How could a single form of address make Duke Daeli so furious?’

In their view, angering a Grand Duke with a single sentence was, in its own way, a skill.

Daeli fixed Sean with a deep, meaningful gaze. "I’ll give you one chance."

"Turn around, then turn back, and greet me again."

Sean tried to reason with her. "There are too many people here..."

Daeli immediately retorted, "Then should I kill them all?"

Sean: "?"

The Mockray family: "???"

They could tell it was most likely a joke, but coming from a Grand Duke, it was still incredibly unnerving.

Sean gritted his teeth slightly. "Do we really have to do this?"

Daeli looked at him. "What do you think?"

’They haven’t seen each other in so many years. It’s one thing not to say how much he missed her, but he won’t even call her by an affectionate name?’

"Fine. Your way," Sean said, making a snap decision. He steeled his heart and decided to go for broke.

The silver lining was that Elvire wasn’t present. And by the looks of it, Daeli didn’t know he was Elvire’s "little boyfriend," either. So, the situation wasn’t as dire as he’d imagined. He just had to make Daeli happy tonight. Everything else could wait.

So, Sean turned his back to her. Then, under the shocked and uncertain gazes of the Mockray family, he spun back around and announced loudly:

"Hey, Wife!"

The Mockray family: "??????"

...