Though the young master swore to heaven and all the saints that he had no part in Leo's crimes and had been completely unaware of them, the mere act of being investigated, even as a cooperative witness, could still tarnish the family's reputation.
Overnight, the youngest young master was quietly packaged and sent abroad.
---
Meanwhile, when Master Nafplion saw the torrent of scathing criticism being hurled at his family, his entire body trembled with rage. He did not need to overthink it or guess who was behind this disaster.
There was only one answer.
For the first time, genuine regret clawed at him. He should have severed ties with that good-for-nothing son long ago.
Madam Nafplion, who had been carried home after fainting at the banquet, had only just regained consciousness. The moment she saw the calamity unfolding online, her vision swam and she nearly fainted all over again.
However, her husband did not allow her the luxury of sleeping over this disaster, his suppressed fury finally found an outlet.
He began beating her mercilessly, venting all his anger and humiliation onto her frail body. The assault only stopped when she lay motionless, half-dead on the floor.
Just when they thought matters could not possibly grow worse, another video began circulating online.
It was footage from the time they had attempted to blackmail the Zhi family over the engagement.
Though the video had been deliberately edited to exclude Shin Keir, it still captured Leo's vile language, his threats, and his eventual unhinged outburst with chilling clarity.
The video detonated across social media.
Netizens, especially women, were sent into a fury. Leo's words were unmistakably demeaning, his contempt for women laid bare for the world to see.
As outrage surged, a well-known investigative media company quickly joined the fray. They released a comprehensive exposé dissecting the Nafplion family's lineage in brutal detail.
Master Nafplion's illegitimate children were revealed to be eighteen, perhaps even twenty in number.
The report went further, exposing the suspicious and mysterious deaths of several mistresses, strongly hinting that his vicious wife might have been involved.
There was also the tragic fates of his two legitimate daughters, Leo's eldest and youngest sisters, were also dragged into the light, revealing how they had been married off and treated as nothing more than stepping stones for his ambitions.
Every sordid detail was aired without mercy.
In stark contrast, the Zhi couple received an avalanche of praise.
They were lauded for protecting their daughter, for refusing to honor that old agreement, and for standing firm as exemplary parents.
Netizens called them the kind of parents every child dreamed of having, openly envying Yeri for being born into such a family.
Master Nafplion was so enraged that his chest heaved violently as he read on.
Some comments were so vile and absurd they bordered on mockery, calling him a seahorse man for having so many illegitimate children, or that he must have inherited the Pied Piper's magical flute to summon children wherever he went.
The ridicule burned worse than any accusation.
Master Nafplion knew then that there was no way to erase all these damning articles and comments, not with Shin Keir lurking behind the scenes.
If he wanted to survive this storm, there was only one path left. He would have to ask the Song family for help.
While turning this over in his mind, there came a knock on the door of his study.
"Come in!" he barked impatiently, not bothering to look up.
The door opened, then quietly closed again, but the person who entered remained silent.
Still sorting through scattered documents, Master Nafplion finally lifted his head, his face twisted with frustration but in the next second, his eyes widened in shock.
---
When Shin and Yeri left the banquet together, the unspoken questions were evident on many guests' faces. Curious gazes followed them discreetly, but not a single person dared to openly question Shin Keir.
Over the years, countless women had schemed to draw close to him. Some families even boldly implied or outright claimed that their daughters were being favored by Shin Keir, or that they were involved in some ambiguous relationship with him. But every single attempt had been swiftly refuted, shut down through lawsuits, or ended in humiliation.
None of them ever met a good ending.
On the way back, Madam Zhi took the family car, while Yeri rode in Shin's vehicle, driven by Secretary Yun.
"How did you get close to Zoren Lin?" he asked. "Was it really just because of your mother's connection to them?"
"Ah, someone added me to your friends' group chat," Yeri replied casually. "Then Eldest Young Master Lin invited me. I figured since Dad couldn't attend with Mom, I could just go as her companion."
Shin's expression hardened.
"Group chat?" His voice cooled. "I told you, you don't need to associate with unnecessary people."
Yeri instantly understood. He was referring to his group of friends. He must have noticed that she had unblocked them after he blocked them himself.
"Why are you so adamant about me staying away from your friends?" Yeri narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Could it be that you're ashamed of me?"
Her voice softened, tinged with hurt. "Unlike the people around you, my status doesn't match theirs. Is that it?"
Shin fell silent.
Before he could respond, Yeri's eyes reddened. Her expression turned aggrieved, fragile, and unsettled.
"This is exactly why I can't fully trust you," she said quietly. "What you say and what you do sometimes doesn't makes sense."
Shin "..."
Back in the Demon Realm, Jewel had been a master of this kind of emotional manipulation. Shin had always known when she was acting, yet time and again, he still let himself fall for her lies.
He glanced at Yeri and spoke flatly, "We're almost at your house. Have you acted enough?"
"Not yet- " Yeri blurted out instinctively, then froze. She had been caught.
Shin scoffed.
In truth, he was simply jealous. Irrationally so. Seeing her get along so easily with other men irritated him more than he wanted to admit.
More than that, he didn't want her influenced by them, didn't want her picking up any of their foolish habits.
Yeri pouted and suddenly hugged his arm.
"Is it really that bad to be friends with your friends?" she asked softly. "I want to know more about you through them. Besides, if I can't reach you or if there's an emergency they'd definitely help."
Shin, who had just reminded himself that she was acting, almost failed to suppress the upward curl at the corner of his lips.
Warmth surged through him, washing away his foul mood and even the exhaustion that had been clinging to him all night.
Does she mean it?
She really wants to know him better and cares about him?
The car slowly came to a stop in front of the Zhi manor. The two got out, Shin instinctively supporting her as she stepped down.
"Are you cold?" Shin asked, tightening his suit jacket around her shoulders. "Take a shower and change your clothes as soon as you're inside, take some supplements as well."
Yeri pursed her lips, annoyed. He still hadn't answered her question.
"Come back to the penthouse tomorrow," Shin added. "Alright?"
Yeri considered it briefly. The only reason she had stayed home longer was because of Linda and Venice. Now that those two were gone, she could rest easy knowing her mother would be fine. She nodded.
Madam Zhi also stepped out of her car. She hesitated, uncertain whether she should approach them, but seeing that Yeri needed to change quickly, she merely reminded her gently. Then she turned to Shin and thanked him sincerely for everything he had done that night.
Shin finally spoke, his voice lower and calmer than before.
"If you really want to be friends with them," he said, eyes forward, "I don't mind."
Yeri's steps halted, then her eyes brightened unmistakably.
"Really?" she asked, unable to hide her delight.
He glanced at her briefly. "As long as you know what you're doing."
Yeri smiled, genuinely this time.
What she had said earlier wasn't entirely a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either.
Beyond wanting to understand Shin better, she also had another motive.
In high society, especially among the upper class, maintaining good relationships was also a form of protection. It had always been that way.
Connections weren't merely social niceties; they were lifelines, shields, and sometimes even weapons.
She couldn't hide behind her parents forever.
Half her life had already been spent relying on them. She had no intention of spending the other half nor her married life, entirely dependent on Shin Keir.
As she gradually merged into his circle, it was only natural that she would need to stay in touch, cultivate goodwill, and build her own network. Not as an accessory to him, but as herself.
It wasn't paranoia. Nor was it excessive suspicion. It was simply prudence.
She needed to leave herself a way out. And to do that, she had to become the most reliable person she could depend on, someone who could stand firm even if Shin Keir's heart were to change someday.
---
Early that morning, shocking news swept through the city, stunning everyone who had been closely following Leo Nafplion's case.
Leo Nafplion was found dead in an alley.
His body had been stabbed multiple times.
Although the police had yet to release an official statement, the first witnesses on the scene wasted no time uploading photos and accounts to social media, eager to ride the wave of virality.
According to them, the scene was horrifying, so gory that Leo's body was barely recognizable. Still, someone managed to capture a clear photo of his arm, riddled with needle marks.
Speculation erupted instantly.
Some believed he had been purchasing drugs and clashed with the dealer. Others claimed he owed an enormous sum of money and, having been disowned by his family, could no longer pay. A different angle insisted it was the families of his victims who had come to exact justice.
No matter the theory, one thing was unanimous. No one pitied him.
Instead, countless netizens celebrated, declaring that the world had one less scumbag and society was marginally safer.
Others were indignant for an entirely different reason, believing Leo's death had been far too easy, that he should have suffered longer behind bars.