Expected Action

*Chapter 58*

"Since when did you ever hire a knight?"

The fork with a piece of meat pierced on it was stopped in the midair at Father's question. I wanted to retort in a scornful manner but I remembered that I had a goal to achieve.

"A few months ago," I answered in a timid yet firm tone.

"Did you even have a background check on him before hiring him?" Father asked as his teeth were gritting in annoyance. "Do you even have an idea who you are hiring, Novalie?!"

Sighing, I dropped the utensils I was using. "He is one of my concubines and I made him my knight, Father." My voice was masked with coldness as I remained calm.

I never wanted to lose my composure again. I needed to control and tame my emotions and keep them at bay. I might not be able to achieve what I wanted to have.

Father pinched the bridge of my nose as his answer. "When will you stop having concubines, Novalie? You already have a husband..." he stated in a stern tone.

I chuckled softly as I took a sip of water from the glass. "Father, you have no idea how bad Reginald is in bed. For three years we have been married, he did not even know how to please me." I reclined on my seat, sighing with a small smirk plastering on my lips. "Also, Reginald agreed a long time ago that I can even have some concubines. Didn't you know that fact already? I was the talk of the whole town after all." I shrugged my shoulders like it was a trivial matter.

"You will lose clients from your business if you keep doing that..." His tone was like he was giving up on my behavior. "I did not even teach you to have some concubines, Novalie. Since when—"

"He cannot even make me happy in bed," I chimed in as I didn't want to allow him to finish his words.

It was an act of disrespect, yes. But who cares? He was mentioning Reginald. Every time I would hear his name, my blood was always boiling.

"At least, Frederick and the other concubines I have back in the cabin, they even know how to please me."

"Halt!" He summoned his hand. "I do not wish to hear any of your escapades... I already heard enough from the gossip that reached my ears." He intensely pierced his hazel eyes on me. "Novalie, you are already tarnishing the names of the House of Westervelt and the House of Argerich because of having infidelity with other men. Halt this madness now," he pleaded.

I almost rolled my eyes but I stopped myself from doing that. "I only want to divorce my marriage from him. That is all that I want. However, Reginald does not even want to do that. He is so determined to keep our marriage until the day I die." I secretly clenched my teeth. That Reginald... I am going to kill him later because my mood was ruined as soon as his name was being mentioned. "Also, I knew you were hindering me with my plans. You do not wish me to divorce my marriage with him..."

"Novalie..." His eyes were telling me that he needed to say something but he didn't pursue it.

"Father, I am not under your care anymore. I am already old enough to make my own decision," I said as I smiled sweetly. "If I want to ruin my name, then so be it. You can just renounce me that I am no longer part of the Argerich Family. It is that simple," I said, changing my tone like I was challenging him.

But I was silently praying that Father would never do that. I must reach my goal... But I must refrain from provoking him. It was not a good idea.

His expression changed into an unhappy one. His eyebrows were furrowed as he shook his head.

I was waiting for him to speak but he didn't say anything. With that, I continued eating my meal like it was a pretty normal discussion between father and daughter. I was always surprised that we were having a conversation.

Back then, Father was hard to talk with. If I want to speak with him privately, he told me that I must set an appointment regardless if I am his daughter.

That was really a very painful event I experienced here in the Argerich's mansion.

Our noon meal ended up in a... huge disaster? Even so, it was better that we didn't speak for a moment before things got heated up.

Father suddenly locked himself to his study room while I started sauntering the hallway of our manor. I looked around and saw that everything I saw when I was a kid was still the same. It never changed.

I halted in the middle of the floor where I could see the staircase towards the second floor. I looked up and saw the imported luxury chandelier hanging in the ceiling. Its age was older than mine. This was handcrafted by a famous artisan from the Yuanzhong Kingdom who was a friend of the previous Alpha King.

This was the first thing you would see if someone happened to make an entrance. This was an eyecatching as well because of its pellucid glasses that were shaped into a teardrop.

There was a tapestry of the insignia, the *orchid* and *crossed swords*, of the House of Argerich hanging on the wall.

The insignia meant that the House of Argerich was prepared to fight alongside the royal lycan family, having refined fighting and battle skills to serve them. It meant that we could be summoned anytime waiting for the orders of the Alpha King Azarius to finish our tasks.

Or more likely, to eliminate the enemies of the royal Lycan family.

Sighing, I decided to go upstairs and saw the paintings of my grandparents, father, and my younger self. My younger self from the time I reached the coming-of-age as I had my first debut to the noble society.

"You look beautifully depressed here, my younger self..." I murmured and caressed the portrait painting.

I saw my hazel eyes lose their own will which was painted here. It was a sign that I was no longer interested in anything anymore. This was the time that I had already lost my reputation a long time ago.

This was all because of Prince Atticus. It was his fault that I was experiencing this downfall.

"Your Highness, Prince Atticus... My mind and my heart ache to hurt you so badly..." I smirked as I felt a pang of pain in my chest, remembering that I was too young back then when he broke it.

It was a humiliation that broke Father and me more as well.

It became a lost contact of being a father and daughter.

I went straight to my chamber. As I sighed, I remembered my nanny from the past.

Merida... She was the one who took care of me since I was a baby pup. She already retired as soon as I got married to Reginald.

As soon as I arrived there, I was greeted by a musky fragrance that made my stomach and my heart somersaulted in unison. I even smelled the familiar perfume that mixed in its smell.

There, I saw Frederick who was strolling around quietly as he turned his head in my direction and winked at me.

I smirked and crossed my arms over my chest. "I knew you would come. I didn't expect you to barge into my chamber, darling," I said.

Knowing him, Frederick didn't want to leave his eyes on me. He wouldn't just sit around if I wasn't in his sight. I was already expecting that he would do something drastic to disobey me but I didn't expect that he would be here in the chamber I used when I was young.

Frederick fluttered his eyes and walked towards me. "How did you know where my chamber was?" I asked when he halted in front of me and knelt on his one knee.

I bestowed my hand to him so he could greet me properly before he looked into my eyes and planted a soft kiss at the back of my palm. "Duke Jansen helped me, my goddess. He knows that I am yearning for you."

I knew it.

I already knew it.

I wonder how he begged at Alpha Denzil because I knew how protective Alpha was when it came to my welfare. But even so, I was grateful that Frederick was here.

I caressed his head. "You and your flowery words never fail to amuse me." I shook my head. "Stand up there."

"Yes, my goddess."

I immediately pushed him which made his eyes widen and made him gasp at my action. I didn't think twice as I hovered over him when he landed on the bed. Then I leaned forward to caress his face. Frederick's eyes shone with desire and excitement as soon as I drove my face closer to him.

"Say, are you still looking forward to the punishment, darling?" I asked in my sultry pitch, seeing his cheeks gradually tinted in red.

He licked his lips and nodded. "Yes, my goddess." His tone smeared with excitement.

"Do you want to do something naughty here?" I caressed his sturdy chest before I lowered my face to his ear. "This is my room when I was young. Do you wish to tarnish my innocence that time, darling?" I whispered which made him inhale sharply.

"I..." His mind went haywire before he snapped back and licked my thumb. "I respect you, my goddess. I will never tarnish your innocence if you were talking about how young you are. Instead, I shall just cherish you from afar, silently wishing to have you someday," he said meaningfully before he purred.

That made my heart skip a beat as I made him suck my thumb which he gladly obliged. I bit my lower lip. He looked so alluring in this kind of position, looking so helpless and desiring me.

"That's an impressive answer, darling." I lowered my head so I could suck on his lower lip which earned a groan from him.

Then in an instant, our places switched. I was the one who was underneath him while he departed his face as his cheeks were flushing. "I would like to please you, my goddess. Will you allow me to do it here?" he asked in his husky voice.

I licked my lips and was about to answer when we both heard knocks on the door.

"I can hear what you two are talking about even from a mile away! Not in my mansion and not in your chamber, Novalie! Not on my watch!" Father said angrily.

With that, the door swung open. Father gasped when he saw Frederick and I's position. Frederick gasped in horror and immediately moved out from my top.

That made Father's face flushed in annoyance. "You motherfucker!" His voice boomed all over.

I immediately got up and summoned my hand to halt him. "We are not going to do it, Father. I am just teasing Frederick," I said as I used my body as a shield to protect Frederick from Father's deathly stare.

He squinted his eyes. "That is not what I heard from that bastard. He is asking for your permission..." He growled.

Frederick stepped forward. "At least I am seeking her permission, unlike her husband who is taking her without her permission. Thus, what he is doing is considered as a sexual assault and rape," he retorted as his nose was flaring in annoyance.

Father's hands clenched. "You moron... I did not ask you, didn't I?"

"I am just pointing it out so you can be aware."

I almost slapped myself from these two men who would most likely rip each other's throat. I needed to butt in to avoid what happened to Frederick earlier. I didn't need to see him hurt twice. If that happens, I would start to retaliate.

I needed to avoid that as much as possible.

"Father, aren't you forgetting something?" I asked before he could lash out on Frederick again. I could already tell that he was so close to strangling him while Frederick wouldn't back down and chose to stand up his statement.

"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. "You don't remember?" I asked bitterly.

"What do you mean?"

That made my blood boil. I wanted to explode but I just sighed in disappointment. "Nevermind... It didn't matter." I glanced at Frederick. "Let's take a stroll, Frederick. I'll tour you around."

"Yes, my goddess." Frederick glanced at Father who expressed disappointment in him. He must have known what I was trying to say to Father. "My goddess."

I looked at him and saw that he was offering his arm. Nodding, I reached and clung to it. Together, he and I left my chamber while Father was left alone there.

One thing I could say right now was that Father never failed to always make me feel in dismay at his actions.

I couldn't understand him anymore.