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His grip tightened around her, and his entire body went rigid. For a moment, desire threatened to overwhelm his restraint, leaving him almost incapable of thinking clearly. He shut his eyes and forced himself to regain control, fighting the urge to pull her back into another kiss. At last, he loosened his hold and drew back just enough to look at her.

“It’s sealed now,” he growled, his voice rough with emotion. “There’s no backing out.”

“I won’t back out,” she assured him firmly.

“Come with me,” His voice carried an unmistakable impatience, as though he feared that if he waited another minute, she might change her mind.

Without wasting any more time, he took her with him, and they left Obsidian together.

Silas drove for a while before finally stopping outside a house. Allison stepped out of the car and lifted her gaze to take in their surroundings.

The house looked several decades old, but it had been exceptionally well maintained. There was nothing dilapidated about it. Its age only gave it a sense of history, and the neat exterior suggested that someone had taken great care of the place over the years.

She followed Silas inside. The interior was dominated by wood, from the rich wooden finishes to the carefully maintained furnishings, giving the house a warm, timeless appearance. A large chandelier hung overhead, adding a touch of grandeur to the otherwise understated space.

An older man sat in the living room with an economics newspaper in his hands. A stack of books lay on the table beside him, and a pair of glasses rested on his nose as he read. There were no streaks of white in his hair. The only visible signs of his age were the fine wrinkles gathered near the corners of his eyes.

The sound of their footsteps echoed through the house.

The man lifted his head, his gaze moving toward the entrance. The moment he saw Silas, his expression changed. Shock flashed across his face, and he hurriedly pushed himself to his feet, lowering the newspaper.

“Silas?” he murmured, disbelief creeping into his voice.

His gaze shifted to Allison, then returned to Silas. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the two of them standing together. After a brief pause, he crossed the living room and approached them, his expression growing increasingly curious.

“I am getting married. This is my wife,” Silas announced without the slightest hesitation.

Allison’s head whipped toward him, shock written all over her face. What kind of introduction was that? He hadn’t even said hello to his father before announcing that he was married!

Melvin Black stared at his son, his expression shifting from surprise to outright disbelief.

“You are getting married?” he repeated, his voice rising. “And you didn’t even bother to tell me before doing it? What the hell is wrong with you?”

He strode toward Silas, stopping right in front of him, his face dark with indignation.

Allison watched in astonishment. Melvin was probably the first person she had ever seen who wasn’t the least bit afraid to speak to Silas like that. Most people could barely look her husband in the eye without getting nervous, yet his father was standing before him, scolding him as though he were an unruly child.

“Are you not going to wait anymore?” Melvin demanded. “For ten damn years, you didn’t even step foot inside this house, and now you just walk in here and announce—”

“It’s her.” Silas’s voice remained calm and indifferent as he gestured toward Allison. “She’s the girl from ten years ago. She came back. Now we’re getting married.”

Melvin fell silent.

The anger on his face gave way to shock, and then his gaze shifted toward Allison. His expression softened almost immediately.

“You’re Allison?”

Taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor, Allison blinked in confusion before nodding. “Yes. I’m Allison.”

“I’m Melvin.” A smile spread across his face as he extended his hand toward her. “This asshole’s father.”

A startled giggle escaped Allison before she could stop it. She was completely taken aback. She had never heard anyone insult Silas so openly. No one dared to speak to him that way. He was intimidating enough to make most people think twice before opening their mouths, but apparently, his father wasn’t bothered by that in the slightest.

Melvin’s smile faded into a more apologetic expression as he studied her face.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just worried that Silas might have forced an innocent girl into a marriage she didn’t want.”

“It’s all right, Mr. Black.” Allison offered him a reassuring smile. “I married him because I wanted to. He didn’t force me.”