Chapter 359: Chapter 359

At that time, Geneva and Alex, as well as most of the guests, had already entered the designated room and did not witness this scene. One could guess what may have happened if, especially, Geneva did.

Even as the person, taking the actions, Shelby had no idea what was wrong with her. for she thought it bizarre.

Even when she had come to this event, thinking that Ian was going to be ’given’ a new woman as a wife, she had not been that angry. In fact, that idea had sounded funny to her ears, at some point.

However, for some reason, Shelby felt overly irritated and triggered by the scene she had witnessed of this person. More of her anger was at Ian, though.

She turned to glare at him, primarily for letting someone cross into his personal space. The girl had not touched Ian but had been too close to Ian for Shelby’s comfort.

Shelby was not one to exhibit jealousy, but she could not control herself at this moment.

An uncomfortable blend of irritation and jealousy swirled inside her, transforming her typically composed demeanour into something alien. She was not someone who usually felt this way; she had always taken pride in rising above trivial jealousy, remaining poised and in command.

Yet today felt different. The ache in her chest and the tension in her jaw were undeniable as she observed, her gaze tightening against her will. It was as though a dam inside her had broken, allowing emotions she had fought to suppress to flood in.

Shelby despised feeling this way, yet the more she attempted to dismiss it, the more intense it became, gnawing at her composure. She felt powerless against it.

’What is wrong with me?’ Shelby wondered and started drawing in slow and deep breaths, and just before she could get a handle on those emotions, the girl continued, "You have no right to drag him down! I hear that you are just the daughter of a criminal! What can you do -"

".... And how does that impact or disrupt your presence and livelihood, Miss ... whoever you are?" Shelby asked, waving her hands dismissively, all semblance of prudence or amusement shedding off of her.

Shelby’s frigid look shook the girl to the core, and she found herself, taking a step back in fear? She was not sure.

’Why should I fear this person?’

The girl asked herself. She turned to look at Ian for some support, but he had remained quiet throughout this exchange of words. She had been the one with the ’Sally - Molly’ entourage. A distant cousin from Ian’s side whose lineage was so far removed that she really couldn’t be considered a cousin. However, this girl prided herself on being one of the Thornstons with a superior presence.

However, when her eyes met Ian’s, she could only see that the man had never even looked in her direction. His eyes had only been trained on his wife. The next thing that happened further shook her to the core.

’Is this the Ian that I have heard of? What is happening?’

All who knew Ian knew of his immense power... more infamously referred to as his demonic side. People of all ages were compelled to bow their heads to him, but what was he doing? Bowing in surrender to that tiny girl?!

That was unheard of. Even if she talked about this to anyone, they would think she was crazy, but her eyes were definitely not deceiving her.

’What the actual fuck!!!’

At that same time, Shelby whipped her head to Ian as she could not be bothered to talk to the wimp anymore. Why bother talking to the irrelevant person when her husband was the one allowing all of this to happen.

The action was so sudden, yet, Ian gazed fondly at her, relishing in the fact that she was being overly protective of him and then, just as suddenly, she stared straight at him. Her blue irises emitted a fiery gaze that he had never seen before. That action in itself made Ian stop. He straightened. The small smile playing on his lips died off instantly.

Something was off. Ian had noticed it initially when Shelby had come to the Dinner grounds. That ’power’ that had been emitting from her was unusually strong, and the same was being directly targeted at him from that glare.

He automatically raised his hands as if in surrender and then finally took a couple of steps away from the nuisance towards his wife. He could really feel the strong emotions rolling off of her in waves.

Ian had only been enjoying the moments and emotions his wife was exhibiting initially, and because of that nobody, but then he started regretting it immensely.

"My Elfin, don’t bother with nameless, invisible people...." Ian started, not even bothering looking at the culprit. He knew that he was treading on thin waters.

He slowly closed the gap between him and Shelby leaving the entitled girl at the back, gaping. She still could not grasp what she was seeing.

At this time, the only people left out there with them were a few workers and the kids as all guests had been ushered in.

Ian tried to reach for Shelby but hesitated. Something inside Ian told him that he dared not touch Shelby with all her loose emotions at play, and he obeyed instantly.

He asked softly as his huskily manly voice drove waves around her. Shelby did not budge.

"I think that Daddy is in trouble!" Gabriel whispered suddenly from the back.

The three kids turned in unison to the girl, who had been making advances at Ian. In fact, they had wanted to push her away from Ian when she crept up to him but had held back. By some unspoken agreement, the three had decided that this was not something they needed to be involved in. However, like their mother, they were just as angry at their father.

Samantha, being the oldest one, was sensible enough to see that their father had not given a woot to this new person, but what had puzzled her was why Ian had tolerated her.

"It serves him right!" Ingrid added, drawing a smile from Samantha,

Ian wished the three would shut up, but he could not even afford to look at them. With all eyes trained on Shelby, Ian tried the poopy look. It looked funny with his big and tall frame trying to suck up to her.

"My Elfin, She is really a nobody, and I could not be bothered to look at her. Don’t you see that my eyes are only trained on you?"

Ian asked, trying to infuse as much warmth and pleading into his voice. Maybe that was what had worked, but he could not even be too sure.

He held his arms open and then finally enveloped Shelby in his arms. He pressed her tightly and whispered some sweet nothings to her.

On the side, Suzie stepped forward,

"Get her away from here!" She commanded a couple of workers, who obliged and carried the girl unceremoniously out of the place.

The girl was too shocked even to utter a word of protest. It felt so satisfying to Suzie to do this.

On Ian’s side, it also took a while to calm Shelby up... a little too long. As they stood together on the grounds, the twinkling lights placed all over the garden seemed to add some sort of tranquillity; Ian finally sensed the tension gradually lifting from her.

It began subtly—a slight easing of her shoulders and a gentle softening of her breathing, each exhale a bit deeper than the last. His relief was imminent, but Ian still took no chances. He maintained his hand around her tiny waist, steady and warm, feeling her delicate warmth beneath his fingers as if it were syncing with his. He occasionally massaged them lightly, trying to add up to it.

Shelby’s tense jawline relaxed, and she leaned forward slightly into his embrace more. Her defences were lowering, the invisible walls she had guarded for that short period started to crumble, piece by piece.

Their breaths seemed to sync, and he started rubbing her back softly, but never once did he cease the eagest small and soft words. He dared not move rashly nor speak to any others, fearing he might shatter the delicate calm enveloping her.

In the next instant, Isn sensed Shelby’s yielding to the serenity that enveloped them, and as she released the last bit of tension, he felt his tension ebb away too!

After Shelby calmed down enough, Ian sighed in relief and detangled himself from her.

"I’m sorry. I’ll never allow such to happen ever again!"

He felt the need to apologize, and he did it. The Ian at this time, felt that Shelby was a part of himself that could not be detangled.

He kissed her forehead tenderly and then intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Shall we?" then he added,

"I am sure that the old man is eagerly awaiting his gift; let’s go."

Shelby nodded, then smiled brightly like a sun’s rays after a heavy storm. There was none of that anger and irritation anymore. It was as if she had never been in that state.

Even Susie was amazed, not to talk of the children and the assistants.

The most confused observer in all of this was Currey.

"What is going on here, Highness?"

Murray watched on thoughtfully, thinking,

’in all of the times that I have known Her Highness, she has never been that erratic in her emotions; she has always been rational enough to hold her bearings. This does not make sense in any way.’

"She’s pretty scary that way."

Curry continued, "Has she always been like that? Was she just waiting for his highness to-"

"Stop whatever you’re going to say. I feel there is more to this than meets the eye, brother!"

.... And there was! But it took a while for them to figure this out, and it was a little too late by then.

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~