Royce frowned slightly, but then he heard a gentle voice.
"Royce..."
He looked up to see a graceful woman approaching slowly.
"Mom?" Royce was taken aback.
The woman appeared to be in her thirties, with well-maintained skin, an exceptional aura, and a slender yet strong figure. Her clear blue eyes were mesmerizing.
Valentina.
"Ignatius, please leave us. The lady and young master haven't seen each other in a long time. If you need anything, just call me," Ignatius said before leaving and closing the door behind him.
"Royce, how have you been? Are you eating well? Sleeping well?" Valentina reached out and gently stroked Royce's hair.
"Mom, I'm twenty-five years old now," Royce reminded her.
Valentina was momentarily taken aback, then she smiled gracefully. "Oh, yes, my son is twenty-five now. That means I must be nearing sixty."
A hint of sadness flashed in her eyes.
She had unexpectedly become pregnant with Royce. A human bearing a vampire's child was supposed to be impossible, but she had refused to give him up back then.
She had no choice but to bring him into the world.
But she was just an ordinary human. When Royce was growing inside her, he grew rapidly, consuming a lot of nutrients and energy, which was too much for her to handle.
As a result, she almost lost her life during childbirth.
Thankfully, Royce's father, Benson, turned her into a vampire just in time.
Yes, she was now a vampire.
Vampires remain as they were on their last day as humans, never aging, so she still looked like she was in her thirties.
"Mom, what did you want to talk to me about?" Royce instinctively glanced at his watch. Luckily, he still had some time.
He sat down on the couch in the bedroom, and Valentina joined him.
"Can't I come to see you without a reason?"
"That's not what I meant."
Valentina looked at her son, a smile curving her lips. "Dear, you've gotten even more handsome."
Royce smiled back at Valentina. "Of course, I got my good genes from you."
"By the way, what about the girl I asked you to marry?"
"Oh... she doesn't live around here. I was worried she might find out about my true identity, so I arranged for her to live elsewhere."
"Smart thinking, my son. Always so considerate."
At this point, Royce asked, "Mom, why do you want me to marry her? Can she really help me break the seal?"
Valentina took a deep breath and then shook her head. "Yes, it's her, but how she will break your seal, I don't know. I haven't foreseen that yet."
Every vampire had their own special ability, and the day Valentina turned into a vampire, she gained hers.
The ability to foresee the future.
However, her ability was not fully developed, and she never knew when she would see a glimpse of the future.
"How could a little girl possibly help me break the seal?" Royce muttered.
He didn't believe any of it.
"Alright, dear, tell me about what's been going on with you lately. It's been so long since we last saw each other."
"Sure, but let me use the bathroom first," Royce said, heading to the restroom immediately.
Once inside, he quickly sent a text to Julia.
"Something came up. I can't make it right now. If you don't hear from me by 7:30, go to the Imperium Grand Hotel and wait for me."
After sending the message, Royce flushed the toilet, put away his phone, and walked out.
It had been over a year since he last saw his mother, and there was no way he would leave her now.
Luckily, there was still time.
Julia received Royce's text just as she was finishing getting ready.
Something came up?
How could this man mess up at such a critical moment?
Fortunately, there was still time. Julia wasn't too anxious and decided to head to the study to open her laptop. Her recently serialized novel seemed to be gaining popularity, so she figured she might as well write some more. The royalties were quite substantial.
Time flew by without her noticing. When Julia finally checked the clock, it was already 7:20 PM.
The man still hadn't shown up!
Well, she had no choice but to leave first. Julia quickly left her house, hailed a cab, and headed straight for the Imperium Grand Hotel.
At this moment, the Imperium Grand Hotel was a sight to behold. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the streets on either side, lined with luxury cars.
Anyone who didn't know better might think it was a luxury car exhibition!
Given the Edwards Family's prestige and Harry Edwards' position as the CEO of Artis International, only the most prominent figures were invited tonight. Those who weren't high-profile enough probably didn't even get an invitation.
The Edwards Family had booked the entire Imperium Grand Hotel for the night. Both the
banquet hall and the hotel rooms were exclusively theirs.
The red carpet was sprinkled with rose petals, filling the air with a fragrant aroma.
Julia kept looking around but still didn't see Royce.
Even among all these luxury cars, Royce's Ferrari LaFerrari would stand out, easily noticeable at a glance.
Julia scanned the surroundings but still couldn't spot that striking sapphire blue Ferrari.
"Is this man up to the task?"
The engagement ceremony was set to officially begin at 8:08 PM. There was still some time left.
People kept walking down the red carpet at the entrance, each one of them exuding wealth and importance, their opulent attire highlighting the power of the Edwards Family.
Suddenly, a group of young girls approached, chatting and laughing. Julia paid them no mind, continuing to look around anxiously.
"Julia Avery?" The girls stopped, and the one in the center called out.
Julia focused her gaze. It was Olive, her cousin.
"Cousin," Julia greeted her.
"What are you doing standing here?" Olive's face was full of disdain. "Can't you see that only big shots are coming and going here? Are you trying to embarrass someone by standing here?"
As soon as Olive finished speaking, one of the sharp-eyed girls in the group, Jordyn, spoke up.
"Olive, look at her dress. Isn't that the new ANGEL dress that's about to be released?" Jordyn's comment drew all the girls' attention to Julia's dress.
Girls their age loved to study fashion brands, always keeping track of new releases and trending items. It was their favorite pass time.
"I heard that the new ANGEL dress was sold out even before it hit the market. It's a limited edition!" one of the girls exclaimed excitedly.
"This dress looks like the new gown that's about to hit the market! I saw it on TV!" Jordyn exclaimed.
Olive, however, remained unimpressed. "My cousin was kicked out of the house ages ago. Unlike our Bailey, she doesn't have a prince charming to rely on. She's dirt poor and can barely afford to eat. There's no way she could buy an ANGEL dress, let alone one that hasn't even been released yet. She couldn't even afford one from years ago!"