Chapter 3

As Troy approached the two figures kneeling in front of him, his gaze fell on them.

Two elderly people were bowing their heads, their hair gray and their bodies frail. Their clothes were tattered, patched up in several places, and gave off an unmistakable air of poverty and desperation.

Troy furrowed his brow, his voice low as he asked, "Why are you two kneeling here?"

The elderly pair slowly raised their heads. One was an old man, the other a woman. Their faces were marked by deep wrinkles, worn with years of hardship. The moment Troy saw their faces, a shockwave coursed through his body, leaving him frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

In disbelief, he stared at the elderly couple, his hands shaking. The supplements he had been holding dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

"Dad, Mom? How could it be you?!" he gasped.

The elderly woman, her eyes filled with tears, looked at him in shock and whispered, "A-Are you Troy?"

Troy's heart felt as though it had been stabbed. These were his parents! His eyes welled with tears as he crouched, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Dad, Mom, it's me... How could this happen to you?"

"Troy?! It really is you! My son!" cried his mother, May Ragnar, her tears flowing freely as she hugged him tightly.

Standing to the side, his father, Gordon Ragnar, also with tears in his eyes, added, "Troy, it's been three years. We've waited for you for so long. You're finally back!"

The three of them clung to one another, crying uncontrollably.

Troy wiped away their tears before helping them to their feet, his voice shaky as he asked, "Dad, Mom, what happened? Why are you kneeling out here?"

"Let's go home, Troy. We'll tell you everything at home," May said through tears as she gently guided him toward their small house.

Behind them, Gordon limped with a noticeable limp, and Troy's heart tightened.

"Dad, what's wrong with your leg?" he asked urgently.

Gordon forced a weak smile, trying to brush it off. "It's nothing, Troy. I just tripped and fell. Come on, let's get inside. You must be hungry. Let your mom make you meat stew."

Troy stayed silent as they entered the house. His eyes were fixed on his father, and he finally whispered hoarsely, "Dad, Mom, why are you hiding things from me? Tell me, what's wrong with Dad's leg?"

May and Gordon exchanged a glance, and after a moment of hesitation, May began to cry. "Gordan, maybe it's time we tell Troy."

Gordon remained silent, his eyes red-rimmed with pain.

May, struggling to control her tears, finally spoke, "Troy, I'll tell you what happened, but promise me you'll be calm."

"Okay, Mom, I promise."

May wiped her tears and explained, "Your father's leg... It was broken when someone hit him with a car on purpose."

Troy shot up to his feet, his eyes wide with rage. "A car accident? Who did this?!"

May cried, shaking her head. "Troy, please don't ask. For now, it's enough that you're back. We just want to live peacefully, together as a family."

Troy held his mother's arms tears brimming in his eyes. "Mom! As a son, how can I just sit here and do nothing while I watch Dad suffer like this? Please, tell me who did this."

May's tears flowed freely as she clung to him. "Oh, Troy, my dear," she sobbed.

After some time, Troy managed to calm her down, and she finally spoke through her tears. "It was someone from Silverton's Dragonfold Incorporated. They're in charge of the demolition here, but they saw us as an easy target and have been taking advantage of us. They offered other families 1,700 dollars per square meter, but for us, they only offered 450!

"When we refused to sell, Dragonfold Incorporated started harassing us. Two months ago, they sent people to deliberately break your father's leg."

The fury in Troy's eyes was unmistakable. "Dragonfold Incorporated... They will pay for this!" he vowed under his breath.

He took a deep breath, his voice steady yet filled with intensity. "Why didn't you report it to the police?"

Gordon gave a bitter laugh, eyes filled with regret. "We did report it, but the police are in league with Dragonfold. We're poor, Troy, and we have no one to turn to."

Troy closed his eyes, a cold fire burning deep in his soul. He was determined—he would make them pay for this injustice.

He took a moment to gather himself, then asked, "And why were you two kneeling in front of the house?"

May wiped her tears away, her voice hoarse. "Troy... Dragonfold made us. They told us to kneel outside for three days. If we didn't, they'd send people to break your sister's legs, too. They said that was the price for not agreeing to the demolition."

Troy's vision blurred with fury, his heart aching with guilt. His family had been enduring such cruelty while he was away, and it burned inside him like wildfire.

Troy swore to destroy Dragonfold Incorporated, leaving none alive.

His fists clenched, voice strained. "Mom, Dad, will they be coming today?"

May's face flashed with fear before she lowered her gaze. "Today is the second day. Tomorrow will be the third, so they'll come tomorrow."

Troy's teeth gritted in rage, his whole body trembling with fury. "We'll be ready for them. They broke Dad's leg, and I'll make them all pay!"

May's eyes widened in concern. "Troy, you can't go up against Dragonfold. They're not people we can afford to offend. Please, don't do anything rash. We should hide tomorrow."

Troy gave a short, firm nod. "I'll handle it. Don't worry. I have a plan."

Just then, his phone buzzed with a message.

He glanced at it, surprised to see a message from Draco. The text said that all nine of his fiancées from Silverton's Nine Great Families were on their way to the house!

Troy's eyes narrowed. He had been planning to visit them one by one in the coming days, but it seemed they were more eager than he anticipated.

A smile crept onto his face as an idea formed in his mind. He could have all nine fiancées come over at once, letting his parents see them and hopefully ease their worries.

"Mom, I have some good news for you," Troy said, grinning.

May blinked in surprise. "Good news? What is it, Troy?"

Troy's grin widened. "Your daughter-in-law will be coming over soon."

May's eyes went wide in shock. "Daughter-in-law? Troy, you're dating someone?"

Troy chuckled. "Not just dating, Mom. I have a marriage contract with them! You and Dad just stay here; they'll be here any minute."

Gordon was utterly confused. "Troy, what do you mean by 'they'? What's going on?"

Troy smiled and briefly explained the events of the past few years—how he had been sent to the mountains by his mentor to study, and how, after he returned, his mentor had arranged nine marriage contracts for him.

May and Gordon were speechless. Their son had gone off to the mountains to learn, and now, not only had he returned, but he also had nine fiancées!

Troy grinned. "Mom, Dad, when they arrive, you'll have to help me pick the most beautiful one."

May froze for a second, but then her eyes filled with joy, her face glowing with pride. "Oh, my goodness! Gordon, don't just stand there—let's go change into something nice! We can't meet our son's fiancées like this! We can't embarrass him."

Gordon immediately realized he was underdressed. Without hesitation, he pushed himself up with his cane, his movements unsteady but determined.

Standing nearby, Troy took in the scene, a dull ache spreading in his chest. His throat tightened, and when he finally spoke, his voice was rough with emotion.

"Dad, Mom, you don't need to change. And don't worry about what people think. Those women are the ones lining up to marry me—who would dare say you're embarrassing me?"

May's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she managed a smile. "Troy… No matter what, it's their first time visiting. Let us freshen up a little."

With that, she gently took Gordon's arm, guiding him back inside.

Troy watched them shuffle away, their steps slow and frail. The sight squeezed at his heart, leaving a lump in his throat.

His heart ached as he realized how much his parents had suffered during the three years he was away. Now that he was back, he was determined to give them the peaceful, comfortable life they deserved.

Before long, his parents emerged in freshly changed clothes.

Troy's heart swelled with emotion at the sight of them. The clothes were faded and patched, but they were the best they had.

Just then, a group of neighbors walked by and stopped when they saw Troy in the yard.

"Mrs. Ragnar, is that Troy? He's back?" one of them asked in surprise.

May smiled proudly, her chest puffing out. "Yes! Troy is back! We're waiting to see our daughter-in-law. Troy has caught the attention of several girls, and they'll be here soon. We're going to help him pick the best one!"

A few neighbors raised their eyebrows skeptically. One of them snickered, "Mrs. Ragnar, your family's not exactly well-off. How could any girl be interested in Troy?"

Another added, "My son graduated from a prestigious university, works at a big company, and still can't find a girlfriend. I don't believe your Troy could be so lucky."

May blushed, embarrassed. "I-I'm not lying. Troy wouldn't fool us."

Troy, with a small smile, said, "Ladies, if you have nothing else to do, feel free to stay and watch. You can help me pick the best one."

He knew his family had suffered in silence these past few years, likely looked down upon by the neighbors. Today, he would make sure his parents could hold their heads up high.

The neighbors, curious to see what would happen next, stepped into the yard.

One of them called out with a smirk, "Troy, don't pull our leg. If you're just joking, better tell us now, or you'll be the one embarrassed."

"Yeah," another one chimed in. "These are different times. Based on your family background, I think you're destined to die alone. I doubt anyone would want to marry into such a poor family!"

As they continued to banter, Troy could sense that many of them were waiting for him to fail. However, he was determined not to disappoint his parents.

An hour passed. Impatience began to stir among the neighbors, and murmurs filled the air.

"Troy, where are the people you said would show up? Why aren't they here yet?"

"Yeah! If you're lying, just admit it already. We're neighbors—there's no need to put on a show."

"Exactly! Our kids are all doing better than you, and none of them have found a wife yet. How could you find someone?"

Gordon and May's faces flushed with embarrassment. They wanted to argue back, but all they could do was silently endure the teasing from the neighbors.

Troy, too, frowned slightly. Where were they? Why hadn't anyone shown up yet?

As the tension began to rise, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard. It was the sound of high heels clicking on the ground.

Troy's heart skipped a beat. Could it finally be time to meet his nine fiancées?

The footsteps grew closer, closer...

And then, the courtyard door was pushed open. A graceful, noble figure stepped through, as if walking out of a dream.

The chatter in the courtyard halted in an instant. All eyes turned toward the figure—everyone froze, struck dumb with disbelief.

Troy's gaze widened in astonishment.

He had thought his mentor was lying when the latter said his fiancées were all beautiful women, but this woman was beyond anything he had imagined. She was breathtaking—unbelievably stunning, like something out of a legend. She looked like she could make men fall head over heels for her with just a single glance.

Frankly, she was more beautiful than any of the top actresses on television by a factor of ten, or even a hundred.

Even Gordon and May, who had seen many women in their lives, were left speechless. They had never laid eyes on someone so exquisite.

The neighbors, too, were visibly stunned. Her beauty left them in awe.

Troy inhaled deeply, stepping forward to greet her.

But the woman's piercing gaze met his, her flawless face as cold as ice. She then spat icily, "You're Troy?"