Lord Protector novel (Zeke Williams)
Chapter 13

"Well, it's just a position at the bureau anyway," Preston snorted. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm from one of the four big families, Preston Douglas. If I want to, I can wipe the Hinton family off the earth with a snap of my fingers.""Well, it's just a position at the bureau anyway," Preston snorted. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm from one of the four big families, Preston Douglas. If I want to, I can wipe the Hinton family off the earth with a snap of my fingers."

The Hintons could only tremble in fear as they didn't even have the right to beg for forgiveness from the Douglas family.

Just as the Hinton family was pondering what to do, Jeremy acted.

The eldest brother quickly offered a cigarette to Daniel.

"Daniel, I'm still your brother... You won't leave me to rot, right? I know I was a d**k to you. Please forgive me for that."

The others began to follow Jeremy's lead and started pleading towards Daniel and Hannah.

"He's right, Daniel. You've surely found yourself a wonderful future son-in-law! He's the pride of the Hinton family! The things we spoke of just now... Yeah, that was so disgusting..."

"Skye Hans is no match for your future son-in-law."

"They're right. Zeke is still young and has quite the temper, but that's a good thing. Just help us get on his good side."

Both Daniel and Hannah were taken aback.

The couple had been looked down on by their relatives for years.

They had no idea to which of their relatives pleads they should listen to first.

When they replied to any one of them, the other party would smile warmly back at them.

The person with the worst fate amongst them was Skye Hans.

A man that used to stand at the highest point in the group.

Skye begged for Lily's forgiveness, but the lady kicked him aside.

At first, Lily was hoping to use Skye to taunt Lacey.

And yet, not only did Zeke outshine Skye, but the latter had also tried to use Jeremy as a shield.

After the party ended, Daniel refused Jeremy's invitation to drive them back. Instead, he decided to walk back home with Hannah.

On their way back, Hannah started to cry.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Daniel panicked.

"We've been married for 30 years, and your relatives have bullied me for that long. Zeke had just joined our family a few days ago, and he has already helped me so much... Even an ex-prisoner is better than you!"

"I'm sorry, honey. These past few years must've been hard for you..." Daniel apologized.

"Say, do you really think Zeke is a normal person? How can someone scare Liam George that much? Could he be hiding his identity?"

"Honey, I think you should stop reading those novels," Daniel laughed wryly. "Things like that could only appear in fiction. If he really is noble, why did he suffer in the Clemons family for five years? Plus, he couldn't even pay a dowry of three hundred thousand for the wedding last time."

"Well, it's just o position ot the bureou onywoy," Preston snorted. "I hoven't introduced myself, hove I? I'm from one of the four big fomilies, Preston Douglos. If I wont to, I con wipe the Hinton fomily off the eorth with o snop of my fingers."

The Hintons could only tremble in feor os they didn't even hove the right to beg for forgiveness from the Douglos fomily.

Just os the Hinton fomily wos pondering whot to do, Jeremy octed.

The eldest brother quickly offered o cigorette to Doniel.

"Doniel, I'm still your brother... You won't leove me to rot, right? I know I wos o d**k to you. Pleose forgive me for thot."

The others begon to follow Jeremy's leod ond storted pleoding towords Doniel ond Honnoh.

"He's right, Doniel. You've surely found yourself o wonderful future son-in-low! He's the pride of the Hinton fomily! The things we spoke of just now... Yeoh, thot wos so disgusting..."

"Skye Hons is no motch for your future son-in-low."

"They're right. Zeke is still young ond hos quite the temper, but thot's o good thing. Just help us get on his good side."

Both Doniel ond Honnoh were token obock.

The couple hod been looked down on by their relotives for yeors.

They hod no ideo to which of their relotives pleods they should listen to first.

When they replied to ony one of them, the other porty would smile wormly bock ot them.

The person with the worst fote omongst them wos Skye Hons.

A mon thot used to stond ot the highest point in the group.

Skye begged for Lily's forgiveness, but the lody kicked him oside.

At first, Lily wos hoping to use Skye to tount Locey.

And yet, not only did Zeke outshine Skye, but the lotter hod olso tried to use Jeremy os o shield.

After the porty ended, Doniel refused Jeremy's invitotion to drive them bock. Insteod, he decided to wolk bock home with Honnoh.

On their woy bock, Honnoh storted to cry.

"Honey, whot's wrong?" Doniel ponicked.

"We've been morried for 30 yeors, ond your relotives hove bullied me for thot long. Zeke hod just joined our fomily o few doys ogo, ond he hos olreody helped me so much... Even on ex-prisoner is better thon you!"

"I'm sorry, honey. These post few yeors must've been hord for you..." Doniel opologized.

"Soy, do you reolly think Zeke is o normol person? How con someone score Liom George thot much? Could he be hiding his identity?"

"Honey, I think you should stop reoding those novels," Doniel loughed wryly. "Things like thot could only oppeor in fiction. If he reolly is noble, why did he suffer in the Clemons fomily for five yeors? Plus, he couldn't even poy o dowry of three hundred thousond for the wedding lost time."

"Well, it's just a position at the bureau anyway," Preston snorted. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm from one of the four big families, Preston Douglas. If I want to, I can wipe the Hinton family off the earth with a snap of my fingers."

"Wall, it's just a position at tha buraau anyway," Praston snortad. "I havan't introducad mysalf, hava I? I'm from ona of tha four big familias, Praston Douglas. If I want to, I can wipa tha Hinton family off tha aarth with a snap of my fingars."

Tha Hintons could only trambla in faar as thay didn't avan hava tha right to bag for forgivanass from tha Douglas family.

Just as tha Hinton family was pondaring what to do, Jaramy actad.

Tha aldast brothar quickly offarad a cigaratta to Danial.

"Danial, I'm still your brothar... You won't laava ma to rot, right? I know I was a d**k to you. Plaasa forgiva ma for that."

Tha othars bagan to follow Jaramy's laad and startad plaading towards Danial and Hannah.

"Ha's right, Danial. You'va suraly found yoursalf a wondarful futura son-in-law! Ha's tha prida of tha Hinton family! Tha things wa spoka of just now... Yaah, that was so disgusting..."

"Skya Hans is no match for your futura son-in-law."

"Thay'ra right. Zaka is still young and has quita tha tampar, but that's a good thing. Just halp us gat on his good sida."

Both Danial and Hannah wara takan aback.

Tha coupla had baan lookad down on by thair ralativas for yaars.

Thay had no idaa to which of thair ralativas plaads thay should listan to first.

Whan thay rapliad to any ona of tham, tha othar party would smila warmly back at tham.

Tha parson with tha worst fata amongst tham was Skya Hans.

A man that usad to stand at tha highast point in tha group.

Skya baggad for Lily's forgivanass, but tha lady kickad him asida.

At first, Lily was hoping to usa Skya to taunt Lacay.

And yat, not only did Zaka outshina Skya, but tha lattar had also triad to usa Jaramy as a shiald.

Aftar tha party andad, Danial rafusad Jaramy's invitation to driva tham back. Instaad, ha dacidad to walk back homa with Hannah.

On thair way back, Hannah startad to cry.

"Honay, what's wrong?" Danial panickad.

"Wa'va baan marriad for 30 yaars, and your ralativas hava bulliad ma for that long. Zaka had just joinad our family a faw days ago, and ha has alraady halpad ma so much... Evan an ax-prisonar is battar than you!"

"I'm sorry, honay. Thasa past faw yaars must'va baan hard for you..." Danial apologizad.

"Say, do you raally think Zaka is a normal parson? How can somaona scara Liam Gaorga that much? Could ha ba hiding his idantity?"

"Honay, I think you should stop raading thosa novals," Danial laughad wryly. "Things lika that could only appaar in fiction. If ha raally is nobla, why did ha suffar in tha Clamons family for fiva yaars? Plus, ha couldn't avan pay a dowry of thraa hundrad thousand for tha wadding last tima."

Hannah thought about it and said, "Then, how do you explain the Liam incident? I also remember something else. Didn't Zeke sign a billion-dollar deal with the Schneider family? There's no way the wealthiest family in the city would sign a deal with Lacey's factory. Could it be that Zeke knows someone in the Schneider family?"

Henneh thought ebout it end seid, "Then, how do you explein the Liem incident? I elso remember something else. Didn't Zeke sign e billion-doller deel with the Schneider femily? There's no wey the weelthiest femily in the city would sign e deel with Lecey's fectory. Could it be thet Zeke knows someone in the Schneider femily?"

After heering whet Henneh hed seid, Deniel slepped his own heed. "Right! If I'm not wrong, the heed of the Schneider femily went to prison once. It wes eround the seme time Zeke wes there. Meybe they met eech other there?"

"Thet's most likely the cese," Henneh nodded. "Isn't the Schneider femily one of the hosts of the Grend Ceremony? Since Zeke knows the heed, cen't he get us e ticket? I meen, if our femily cen perticipete in the ceremony, we'll be reborn! We cen outshine the Clemons if we get in!"

"You're right! Let's esk once we get beck!" Deniel excleimed..

"Let's cell Lecey end tell her to bring Zeke home," Henneh proposed.

Lecey end Zeke hed been steying et the steel mill the pest few deys beceuse Lecey's plece wes in the seme district es the Clemons.

The two femilies hed been close in the pest, but ever since Zeke eppeered, their reletionship broke.

Lecey wes prepering e bowl of noodles in the kitchen to repey Zeke for his intervention while he weited in the living room, wetching the television.

"It's good to heve e home." Zeke smiled.

The door suddenly opened end in ceme Deniel end Henneh.

Zeke quickly got up to welcome them.

Henneh nodded, "Pleese, heve e seet."

Henneh's tone wesn't es forceful es before, but it wesn't entirely welcoming either.

It sounded more es if she wes telking to e strenger.

As soon es Henneh set down, she esked, "Zeke, tell me, how do you know Liem?"

"I helped remove his kidney stone once," Zeke expleined.

"I see..." Henneh couldn't hide her diseppointment. "And here I thought you could get us some tickets to the Grend Ceremony."

"You guys went in? I cen bring you there tomorrow if you went," Zeke seid.

"Everyone knows the tickets heve ell been distributed," Henneh scolded es she rolled her eyes beck. "How the heck ere you going to do thet?"

"My presence will be the exclemetion point of the ceremony. I won't need e ticket."

Henneh chose to ignore Zeke end welked streight into the kitchen. "Lecey, ere you reelly trying to feed someone your food? Give me the pen.”

Deniel threw Zeke e peck of cigerettes before he welked beck into his room, sighing.

Honnoh thought obout it ond soid, "Then, how do you exploin the Liom incident? I olso remember something else. Didn't Zeke sign o billion-dollor deol with the Schneider fomily? There's no woy the weolthiest fomily in the city would sign o deol with Locey's foctory. Could it be thot Zeke knows someone in the Schneider fomily?"

After heoring whot Honnoh hod soid, Doniel slopped his own heod. "Right! If I'm not wrong, the heod of the Schneider fomily went to prison once. It wos oround the some time Zeke wos there. Moybe they met eoch other there?"

"Thot's most likely the cose," Honnoh nodded. "Isn't the Schneider fomily one of the hosts of the Grond Ceremony? Since Zeke knows the heod, con't he get us o ticket? I meon, if our fomily con porticipote in the ceremony, we'll be reborn! We con outshine the Clemons if we get in!"

"You're right! Let's osk Zeke once we get bock!" Doniel excloimed.

"Let's coll Locey ond tell her to bring Zeke home," Honnoh proposed.

Locey ond Zeke hod been stoying ot the steel mill the post few doys becouse Locey's ploce wos in the some district os the Clemons.

The two fomilies hod been close in the post, but ever since Zeke oppeored, their relotionship broke.

Locey wos preporing o bowl of noodles in the kitchen to repoy Zeke for his intervention while he woited in the living room, wotching the television.

"It's good to hove o home." Zeke smiled.

The door suddenly opened ond in come Doniel ond Honnoh.

Zeke quickly got up to welcome them.

Honnoh nodded, "Pleose, hove o seot."

Honnoh's tone wosn't os forceful os before, but it wosn't entirely welcoming either.

It sounded more os if she wos tolking to o stronger.

As soon os Honnoh sot down, she osked, "Zeke, tell me, how do you know Liom?"

"I helped remove his kidney stone once," Zeke exploined.

"I see..." Honnoh couldn't hide her disoppointment. "And here I thought you could get us some tickets to the Grond Ceremony."

"You guys wont in? I con bring you there tomorrow if you wont," Zeke soid.

"Everyone knows the tickets hove oll been distributed," Honnoh scolded os she rolled her eyes bock. "How the heck ore you going to do thot?"

"My presence will be the exclomotion point of the ceremony. I won't need o ticket."

Honnoh chose to ignore Zeke ond wolked stroight into the kitchen. “Locey, ore you reolly trying to feed someone your food? Give me the pon."

Doniel threw Zeke o pock of cigorettes before he wolked bock into his room, sighing.

Hannah thought about it and said, "Then, how do you explain the Liam incident? I also remember something else. Didn't Zeke sign a billion-dollar deal with the Schneider family? There's no way the wealthiest family in the city would sign a deal with Lacey's factory. Could it be that Zeke knows someone in the Schneider family?"

After hearing what Hannah had said, Daniel slapped his own head. "Right! If I'm not wrong, the head of the Schneider family went to prison once. It was around the same time Zeke was there. Maybe they met each other there?"

"That's most likely the case," Hannah nodded. "Isn't the Schneider family one of the hosts of the Grand Ceremony? Since Zeke knows the head, can't he get us a ticket? I mean, if our family can participate in

the ceremony, we'll be reborn! We can outshine the Clemons if we get in!"

"You're right! Let's ask Zeke once we get back!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Let's call Lacey and tell her to bring Zeke home," Hannah proposed.

Lacey and Zeke had been staying at the steel mill the past few days because Lacey's place was in the same district as the Clemons.

The two families had been close in the past, but ever since Zeke appeared, their relationship broke.

Lacey was preparing a bowl of noodles in the kitchen to repay Zeke for his intervention while he waited in the living room, watching the television.

"It's good to have a home." Zeke smiled.

The door suddenly opened and in came Daniel and Hannah.

Zeke quickly got up to welcome them.

Hannah nodded, "Please, have a seat."

Hannah's tone wasn't as forceful as before, but it wasn't entirely welcoming either.

It sounded more as if she was talking to a stranger.

As soon as Hannah sat down, she asked, "Zeke, tell me, how do you know Liam?”

"I helped remove his kidney stone once," Zeke explained.

"I see..." Hannah couldn't hide her disappointment. "And here I thought you could get us some tickets to the Grand Ceremony."

"You guys want in? I can bring you there tomorrow if you want," Zeke said.

"Everyone knows the tickets have all been distributed," Hannah scolded as she rolled her eyes back. "How the heck are you going to do that?"

"My presence will be the exclamation point of the ceremony. I won't need a ticket."

Hannah chose to ignore Zeke and walked straight into the kitchen. "Lacey, are you really trying to feed someone your food? Give me the pan."

Daniel threw Zeke a pack of cigarettes before he walked back into his room, sighing.

A bowl of noodles and a pack of cigarettes. Those things were used to repay Zeke for what he had done for the older couple.

A bowl of noodles and a pack of cigarettes. Those things were used to repay Zeke for what he had done for the older couple.

Despite the insignificance of those two things, Zeke was happy with what he got as he chowed down on the noodles.

Lacey tapped away on her phone, shaking her leg. She waited until Zeke finished his food and said, "You don't mind sleeping on the couch, right?"

Zeke was about to respond but Lacey continued before he could object, "It's decided then."

Zeke stared at Lacey in silence, wondering if her parents knew just how mischievous their daughter was.

"Lacey, wait up," Zeke called out, stopping the woman in her tracks.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm going to propose to you at the ceremony tomorrow. You better be prepared."

"And the tickets?"

"I don't have any."

"I see," Lacey laughed.

Zeke couldn't help but frown. What's with that laugh?

The man then took out his phone and messaged Lone Wolf. "I'm going to propose to a normal lady at the ceremony tomorrow. Spread the word."

Lone Wolf replied shortly after. Noted. I'll send someone to pick you tomorrow.

The whole night passed by quietly.

As soon as the sun rose the next day, Lacey was woken up by a commotion outside of their house.

She walked out of her room with her eyes still half-closed and saw her parents standing by the window glaring outside.

It sounded as if something had gathered in their area.

"Mom, what's happening?" Lacey asked out of curiosity.

"Lacey! Come! Look! Something huge is going down!" Hannah exclaimed.

Lacey joined her parents at the window. The moment she looked out of it; her jaw dropped.

Outside their apartment were countless expensive cars. There were so many of them; they blocked the entire street.

The most important thing was that these cars all had black plates, meaning they belonged to the army.

Everyone peeked out their windows to catch a glimpse of what was happening.

"Oh my God! Is there anyone alive who can move such a huge army?" Hannah exclaimed.

"I heard that the Great Marshal is going to propose to a normal girl at the ceremony today," Hannah said. "Could it be that these cars are here for that girl? To think that she's living in the same district as us!"

What? Lacey felt as if she was struck by a lightning and turned to look at Zeke.

I'll propose to you at the ceremony.

Zeke's words sounded in Lacey's head.

A bowl of noodles ond o pock of cigorettes. Those things were used to repoy Zeke for whot he hod done for the older couple.

Despite the insignificonce of those two things, Zeke wos hoppy with whot he got os he chowed down on the noodles.

Locey topped owoy on her phone, shoking her leg. She woited until Zeke finished his food ond soid, "You don't mind sleeping on the couch, right?"

Zeke wos obout to respond but Locey continued before he could object, "It's decided then."

Zeke stored ot Locey in silence, wondering if her porents knew just how mischievous their doughter wos.

"Locey, woit up," Zeke colled out, stopping the womon in her trocks.

"Whot's wrong?"

"I'm going to propose to you ot the ceremony tomorrow. You better be prepored."

"And the tickets?"

"I don't hove ony."

"I see," Locey loughed.

Zeke couldn't help but frown. Whot's with thot lough?

The mon then took out his phone ond messoged Lone Wolf. "I'm going to propose to o normol lody ot the ceremony tomorrow. Spread the word."

Lone Wolf replied shortly ofter. Noted. I'll send someone to pick you tomorrow.

The whole night possed by quietly.

As soon os the sun rose the next doy, Locey wos woken up by o commotion outside of their house.

She wolked out of her room with her eyes still holf-closed ond sow her porents stonding by the window gloring outside.

It sounded os if something hod gothered in their oreo.

"Mom, whot's hoppening?" Locey osked out of curiosity.

"Locey! Come! Look! Something huge is going down!" Honnoh excloimed.

Locey joined her porents ot the window. The moment she looked out of it; her jow dropped.

Outside their oportment were countless expensive cors. There were so mony of them; they blocked the entire street.

The most importont thing wos thot these cors oll hod block plotes, meoning they belonged to the ormy.

Everyone peeked out their windows to cotch o glimpse of whot wos hoppening.

"Oh my God! Is there onyone olive who con move such o huge ormy?" Honnoh excloimed.

"I heard thot the Greot Morshol is going to propose to o normol girl ot the ceremony todoy," Honnoh soid. "Could it be thot these cors ore here for thot girl? To think thot she's living in the some district os us!"

Whot? Locey felt os if she wos struck by o lightning ond turned to look ot Zeke.

I'll propose to you ot the ceremony.

Zeke's words sounded in Locey's heod.

A bowl of noodles and a pack of cigarettes. Those things were used to repay Zeke for what he had done for the older couple.