"Come on" Melinda said with a frown and tugged Hal's arm to pull him into the Mansion.

"Are you upset?" He asked with a smile and made to pull her face closer to him.

Melinda looked away with a snort.

"Oh come on, Baby girl" He said and pulled his arm away from her grasp to wound it around her waist.

Melinda did not resist him but her face was still turned away,

"That was reckless" She finally said.

"I know" he said.

It was not much of an apology but Melinda accepted it as the best she could get for now.

She stayed still long enough for him to finally connect his lips to the side of her face.

*Peck*

Melinda snorted again as though it disregard the gesture but her true emotions were betrayed by the rosiness of her cheeks.

"Hem hem" a light cough suddenly sounded behind them and the two turned.

"It's alright to be lovey-dovey but at least have the decency to do it in the privacy of your home" Emily said with her arms folded beneath her breasts.

The words were chastising but the tone was not.

Hal smiled lightly,

"Oh dearest Mother-in-law, how are you on this fine day" He said while stretching out his free arm.

Amelia smiled and dashed to his side and let the arm wound around her waist.

Watching it all happen, Emily pouted in a teasing manner,

"We came here together and you left me the instant you could. Oh, the woe of being a Mother. I've become the third wheel"

Hal smirked,

"Well, my chest is still free, you're welcome to occupy it" he said.

Emily narrowed her eyes with a smile,

"Tempting. But I'll pass"

Hal shrugged before ordering Castor and the others to clean up the place and fix the damaged walls and fence as well as the Gate.

The guards were upset that once again, they were merely spectators to their Master and Mistress' distress, the fixing of damages was good to keep their minds away from dwelling in it.

After all, they were cultivating as best they could, and soon they would have the rewards of their diligence. They were sure of it.

"Let's continue this inside. After you, mother-in-law"

Emily smiled and walked ahead of them. Hal and the girls followed.

In the lounge,

Hal, Melinda, and Amelia sat on the sofa and Emily sat opposite them on a luxurious looking chair that was hardly ever in use.

A maid walked in with a tray on which was a wine and wine goblets that she balanced in her hand and placed on the table before she bowed to Hal, Melinda and Amelia. After this, she gestured respectively at Emily before she retreated from the room.

As she left, another maid walked in and served snacks in the shape of cakes after which she repeated the previous Maid's respective actions and retreated from the room as well.

"Hmm" Emily said as the Maid retreated.

Hal raised his brow,

"I'm sorry but they are to defer only to me and my women, everyone else only receives gestures"

"Hmm" Emily repeated but this time with a smile.

The first time she had made the sound was because she had noticed something in the Maid's attire that told her that they were also training to become experts.

While that was not an uncommon practice where she was from, Hal's home had to be the only place where the Maids were given such an opportunity.

Also, there was much more than respect in their gaze for Hal and Melinda, there was also a sense of total devotion.

Hal cleared his throat as Amelia took to wiping the blood off his face with a handkerchief which she had added a little water to.

Melinda was touching his ribs to see how much they had healed and if it would be prudent for him to take a healing pill.

"So, I know Amelia must have missed me, but what brings you here, Emily?"

After taking a sip of the wine she had been served, Emily smiled,

"I thought it appropriate to say thank you for helping the Horst scions. Especially Frank"

Hal smiled,

"You don't need to thank me. They were Amelia's family so of course, I assisted them"

Emily watched his smile and to take a leaf out of his book, she called 'Bullshit' in her mind. From what she could infer, the only person Hal was interested in within the Horst family was Amelia and she was quite certain he would not raise a finger to help them unless he so wished.

It had nothing to do with the fact that they were related to Amelia, it was just him doing what he wanted to do. She was willing to bet, he must have gotten something from helping them.

That said, he had helped them all the same and that was all that truly mattered.

Hal on the other hand was considering denying that he had anything to do with Frank's safety, the last thing he needed was for them to think Frank was now in his service.

However, if they believed the prophecy, such a train of thought was inevitable, and denying it would only give it more credence.

Best to let things run their course.

After all, once he begins to order Frank around, keeping it a secret would be a pipe dream and borderline foolishness that was of no necessity.

"Is that really all, Mother-in-law? You are sure you did not come here because you miss my company"

Emily scoffed,

"Why would I miss your company? Besides, you should know, it's rude to flirt with me in front of my daughter"

Hal tsked in false irritation,

"Flirting? Way to put a label on things. We're just conversing"

"And I don't mind" Amelia said in a trilling voice as she massaged Hal's chest.

Melinda just kept studying Emily with a piercing look that the sexy mother of two could not fully ignore but endeavored to. It was as though Melinda was trying to see something beyond the surface.

Emily smiled at her daughter,

"Of course you don't mind. Anyway, I came here to verbally profer appreciation but who would have guessed you have so many enemies"

Hal's eyes widened,

"I know right? I was as surprised as you were. I mean Lillian was expected but the Cloaked one must be scared of my success. Kept accusing me of things"

"Things you are guilty of" Emily piped.

"Undoubtedly" Hal said with a smile.

Emily was at first taken aback that he would admit it to her. Even though she knew with certainty already, to hear it from his lips was either an act of trust or an act of surrender but she would go with the former as she had no interest in going against him anyway.

The lechery in his eyes, however, ruined what could have been a wonderful moment.

It was still good though.

"This of course is the one the Plebeians serve right?" Melinda said and Hal nodded.

"The Plebeians serve a Master?" Amelia asked.

"They surely do. It's one of the main reasons they have banded together to overthrow the Great Families and also the cause of their spontaneous increase in cultivation."

"And this Master has taken a special interest in you" It was more of a statement of fact than a question.

She could not care less if the Great Families lost their hegemony and as Ford was already aware, she was not planning to raise a finger to help them but the fact that Hal was being targeted was not something she could be indifferent about.

She could not understand why and settled with the explanation that it was because he was involved with her daughter.

"Apparently so," Hal said with a sigh and his head slumped to the side to fall on Melinda's chest.

The Golden eyed beauty stroked his head as she thought of Contingencies and plans they had put in place against the Plebeians and their Master. Wondering if it would be enough.

"I don't think you will sit around and await their coming assaults, will you? Malevolent One" she said with a smirk.

At those words, Amelia piped up and looked into Hal's face. Well aware that the name referred to the one who had robbed her father and the Great family heads and also aware (while doubtful) that it was Hal.

Hal looked down at her and winked, confirming it.

Their relationship truly was a complicated one.

But it only made it more exciting to her. She was far from interested in ostracizing him for the things he had done or was bound to do in the future.

She snuggled even more into his side and gripped him tighter. This was where she wished to be.

Emily saw all this and sighed in her mind. It was obvious that her daughter was smitten.

Even then, she continued,

"Surely all the wealth you got must come in handy"

Hal sighed,

"Gold can buy a lot but it can't buy me time. Which is what I need at the moment"

"Would you like my help?" Emily said and her tone this time was different.

Amelia noticed the change and smiled into Hal's side. Emily did not notice this as she was now looking at Hal and they started at each other unblinking for a few seconds.

"Pfft. I don't believe you offer your help a lot" Hal said with a light chuckle.

"No, I don't"

Emily giggled and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, an act that caused Amelia's eyes to widen slightly.

Melinda noticed it as well and smirked while she stroked Hal's head that still lay on her bosom.

Hal smiled at Emily as the only one with the decency to not show that he had noticed it as well,

"I appreciate it but I think I have everything under control. After all, what is life without a challenge"

Meanwhile...

In a certain Estate, a Man was just receiving the news that his wife had attacked his bastard son and was eventually taken away by an unknown figure.

Needless to say, so many objects in his study became victims of his frustration, confusion and anger.