Chapter 148: Chapter 148 Will you marry me?
Aria’s POV
"I’m sorry, Damian." My voice dropped to barely audible, eyes already heating with unshed tears. "I never meant for my past to bring you shame..."
Before I could finish, Damian suddenly turned and pulled me forcefully into his embrace.
His arms locked around me like iron bands, so tight I could barely breathe.
"I know everything. I could never feel ashamed of you. What are you afraid of, silly girl?" His deep voice rumbled near my ear, carrying a trace of helpless affection.
"Damian..."
I’d crashed unexpectedly against his solid chest. For a moment, all the surrounding noise faded. Only his steady, powerful heartbeat remained.
In that instant, my suspended heart finally settled. He wasn’t angry.
I tilted my head back, only able to see his sharp, cold jawline. His Adam’s apple shifted slightly, then he loosened his hold enough to keep one arm around my waist as he faced the crowd.
"I apologize for the scene just now." Damian spoke again, his voice returning to its usual composure. But I could feel the chill and authority churning beneath that calm.
He lifted his chin, sharp gaze sweeping the entire hall, eyes carrying undisguised contempt. But his arm around my waist never loosened. Instead, it tightened.
"My mate is kind and gentle. She doesn’t want to trouble anyone even when she’s wronged." His voice sounded calm, but each word felt ice-dipped.
"But I can’t tolerate it. I will never allow anyone to slander my mate in front of me, using such despicable tactics to spread rumors."
As he spoke, his gaze naturally turned toward Sylvia.
I watched Sylvia’s face instantly pale, her smile freezing awkwardly. She clearly hadn’t expected that in just a few days, Damian would protect me so fiercely, not caring about my past at all.
"Ms. Sylvia, thank you for your concern." The corner of Damian’s mouth curved into a mocking arc.
"I can tell you clearly—I know everything about my mate. Videos can be faked. Rumors stop with the wise. She was never married to anyone, because she is my wife now... We registered our marriage last week."
He deliberately slowed his speech, each word heavily emphasized, as if hammering something home.
The moment his words fell, the entire banquet hall erupted.
"They’d only just gotten engaged, and already they were married?"
"If the Alpha King himself said they’d registered, then that person must have been spreading lies!
Who would dare openly challenge the Blackwood family’s dignity? Was he insane?"
Discussion rose in waves, but all my attention remained on Damian.
His tall figure cast a long shadow even in the brilliant lights, and in mere sentences he’d reversed the entire atmosphere while finally letting my suspended heart settle.
I lowered my head, not wanting anyone to see the tears pooling in my eyes.
My hand moved slightly, wanting to pull free from his grip, but Damian only held tighter until our fingers interlaced completely.
The warmth from his palm transferred to mine, making my heart race even faster.
I heard the harsh scrape of a chair from the distance. Looking up, I saw Vanessa had surged to her feet, palms pressed hard against the table edge.
Her wine glass tipped over, red wine soaking her dress, but she seemed completely oblivious.
Her face was deathly pale, eyes wide as she stared toward Damian, as if she’d suffered some tremendous blow.
Apparently, her feelings for Damian ran deeper than I’d thought.
I withdrew my gaze, meeting Sylvia’s dark stare head-on.
She’d recovered her smile, but it looked more painful than crying. She raised an eyebrow, looking toward the Blackwood family.
"I see. So you’ve already registered." Her voice remained gentle, but I could hear the stiffness. "But Your Majesty, you really were in a rush. Such an important matter... we at the Smith family didn’t know. Aria didn’t tell us either... Could it be that the Blackwood Pack elders didn’t know either?"
Her words redirected everyone’s attention back to me.
That we’d registered without notifying any relatives truly was improper. And no matter how much Damian protected me, my past remained problematic.
I could feel the Blackwood family elders all watching me. I didn’t dare look up to see their expressions, afraid of finding disappointment and doubt.
Alpha King Andrew remained expressionless, but Luna Elena suddenly stood.
"Well, strictly speaking, this is our family’s oversight." Luna Elena smiled as she walked to our side, her gentle gaze settling on my anxious eyes.
My heart lurched violently.
"Our Damian is impulsive. He just wanted to fulfill his own wishes, so he rushed Aria into registering with him." Luna Elena continued, her tone full of indulgence.
"Aria is the one who’s been wronged—she didn’t even get a proper proposal... We feel terrible about it. We were planning to find a more suitable time to apologize properly, especially since Aria just returned to her family. We wanted to be more formal about it."
Her words, gentle and gracious, instantly deflected Sylvia’s attack.
They also eliminated any escape route from my marriage to Damian.
By publicly acknowledging me as her daughter-in-law, she was telling everyone—Aria had the entire Blackwood Pack’s backing.
Even if I truly had a marriage history, who would dare gossip?
"I see." Sylvia’s mouth twitched, struggling to maintain surface composure, but I could see her chest heaving violently.
As Luna Elena finished speaking, Alpha Andrew nodded repeatedly, he smile representing the Blackwood family’s attitude toward me entirely.
It was boundless acceptance and affection.
Luna Elena smiling as she said, "It’s our fault for not informing you relatives in time. Ms. Sylvia won’t blame us, will she?"
"Of course not." Sylvia’s voice remained soft, though her expression betrayed stiffness.
Watching Luna Elena stand beside me, speaking on my behalf, my eyes suddenly burned hot.
My entire life, no one had ever stood behind me like this, supporting me unconditionally. At Silver Creek Pack, I’d always been the one accused, the one suspected. Margaret only ever told me I wasn’t good enough for Ethan. Clara was forever the flawless victim.
But now Luna Elena was willing to defend me in front of all these people, even risking the entire Blackwood family’s reputation.
My nose stung. Tears nearly fell. I blinked hard, refusing to let them spill.
Luna Elena turned to look at Damian, her eyes carrying obvious meaning.
Damian immediately understood his mother’s intent. Holding my hand, he suddenly dropped to one knee.
My breath stopped entirely.
His tall frame remained imposing even kneeling, brilliant lights falling across his shoulders, making him look dazzling enough to steal hearts.
Everyone fell silent, all eyes focused on us.
"Aria." Damian looked up at me, those gray eyes reflecting my image. "With all these witnesses present today, I, Damian Blackwood, promise that you will be the only one by my side for the rest of my life. "
"Marry me. From now on, let me love you, protect you, and stay with you until the end of my days. Will you?"
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