After stepping off from the chopper, Stephanie and Leona made their way over to the Military Area. The General of Nivea City stood there, already anticipating their arrival, his brow dripping with cold sweats. Because it was she who, on the battlefield, killed thousands of enemies ruthlessly without raising an eyebrow. It was also rumored that once she tore off the manhood of her opponent, and shoved it into his mouth, when he tried to harass her, Because of her inhumane brutality and the terror she posed, her enemies have always kept a 4 km distance from her on the battlefield since that day. So it's knowledgeable why he was waiting for her. Standing beside him was the colonel, who asked, "General, who is this woman that attracts your attention to welcome her in the flesh?" after perceiving that the General was becoming uneasy. 

After wiping away his sweat, the General remarked, "She is the most terrifying woman I have heard in years. Due to her combat prowess and strategies on the battlefield, she is referred to as the Athena of Imperia City. If it were anyone else, I would not have come here, but since it is her, I am obligated to accompany her. Yesterday, the General of Imperia called and told me that Athena would be arriving in Nivea City, so I needed to show her my proper hospitality." 

The colonel gasped and stuttered, "She... she is the Atena? Then… why is she here?” 

"What the data tells me is that she is here for her younger brother, who is very dear to her. She is most likely here just for him. In any case, she is getting closer to us; stand in attention now.” The General whispered. 

“Yes sir.” The colonel stood in attention. 

“Lieutenant General Stephanie salutes the General of the Nivea City.” 

In response, the General saluted Stephanie and asked, "Stephanie, was there any trouble on the way from Imperia?" 

"No, everything is fine, General. I need a car and accommodation, because I'm returning to this place after a six-year absence.”

“Consider it done.” The General then passed the key card to the most expensive villa in Nivea City's Blue Rose Bay. Acquiring a villa in Blue Rose Bay requires a certain level of power and influence. The only people allowed staying there are high-ranking army officers and billionaires. That was Blue Rose Bay's reputation in Nivea City. Following that, Stephanie said goodbye and made her way to her new villa. While driving, Leona handed Stephanie a file with the name "Ryan Ley" on it. 

Stephanie, who was looking out the window, began to read the description in the file. The first page displayed his most recent photo. When she saw it, tears trickled down and fell on the picture, as she slowly ran her hands over it and murmured, ‘My little Ley grew so fast. He has grown into such a dapper and mature man.’

Upon turning the page, she observed the information described as:

Name - Ryan Ley

Father's Name - Late David Ley

Course - MBA [Final year]

Age - 23 years

Marital status - Married

Spouse - Shanaya Jonas

Contact Number - xxxxxxxxxx

Residence - Jonas Villa 

Her expression darkened and became devilish as she continued to read. She never imagined that her little brother would be married, so she was a little angry after going through the data. She threw the document aside and said to Leona, “Leona, head directly to Blue Rose Bay. We shall return to Jonas Villa and fetch him up after we change ourselves. Actually, I want to see his in-laws' behavior when I get there. If I were to go in my military attire, then surely they would act out of courtesy, which I loathe the most. Also, he's becoming brazen day by day, huh? How could he marry someone without my consent? After I reach there, I will prick his ears for taking such decisions.” 

Leona nodded and smiled as she was aware of the affection between Stephanie and Ryan. "Ma'am, there is something confidential in our little brother's life that you and Ley are unaware of," she said after hesitating for a moment. 

"What is it?" She asked 

"Actually, ma'am, Shanaya Jonas has a mafia background. Known as the She-Devil, she instills fear in all government officials. But, unlike other gangsters who harass the innocent, she beheads criminals without regard to their background. To put it another way, she is a decent woman who is concerned about people's welfare. For this reason, neither the government nor the cops ever meddle in her affairs. The only difference is that she is a top gangster, who married our brother against his will. Despite coming from a dark world, she is, in my opinion, a very loving and caring wife who adores her husband. However, she is also a dominant and possessive woman who becomes enraged when she founds him interacting with other women, which is a very common trait shared by any other woman. But the surprising point here is that our brother is unaware of who she really is—possibly because he does not realize the woman who is staying by her side is the one that everyone is afraid of." 

"Well, how come he is unaware of that?" Stephanie curiously prodded. 

“Because no one has seen her in the flesh. This implies that she prefers staying low-key. Also, Nivea City's people just heard about her ruthlessness, but they never saw her. This means she covers her face entirely with a black veil whenever she punishes the miscreant. Therefore, I believe that she is being secretive because she doesn't want Ley to know who she really is. What reaction do you anticipate, ma'am, from exposing her prior to our brother?" 

“Not now. If she is that trustworthy based on the data you gathered, I might give her a chance. To put it bluntly, little Ley is my bottom line, and I cannot bear to watch him suffer the same betrayal that dad went through. He's my only family, and I have to protect him at any cost. Furthermore, she will face dire repercussions if I discover that she is unfaithful to my brother. But one thing that's fidgeting with me is why she forced him to marry her against his will."

"Well, ma'am, that's certainly out of my thoughts. We will get to the bottom once we have a conversation with her.” 

“Hmm, let it be then.” After that, she leaned back and closed her eyes for a short nap. 

Jonas Villa. 

The moment I was released from the hospital, everyone gathered around me at the villa. They were staring at me as though I were an alien that had gotten separated from its companions. Their intense gaze, which was giving me goosebumps all over my body, only served to exacerbate my uneasiness. Victoria broke the silence by inquiring, "Um, Ley, how are you feeling, dear?" She sensed that things were getting off track. 

"Not a concern of yours. Also, Miss Victoria, please refrain from entering my life again. So it would be best for us if we did not cross paths.” I gave her a scowl. 

“Shanaya, watch yourself. Take a look at how disrespectful he is being to his mother. What is with your attitude, huh? Have you forgotten to open your mind after stupidly stabbing yourself? What makes you so amazing? Tell me. Do you make a living? No. Do you call the final shots here? No. Then who are you to show such rudeness when talking to your elder here?” Lancy barked at me while pointing her fingers. 

My wound, which was healing, was severely twisted by her remarks. In an attempt to contain my rage, I balled my hands into fists and bid my time until they concluded. To be honest, I am a live-in son-in-law who is currently dependent on my wife. At times, I question whether women are really the most materialistic characters in this universe. Whether it is legal or illicit, they are the gold diggers who will do anything to get free money. Furthermore, I believe that my wife is not a material woman. I mean, every woman deserves a better life, but she is not so conceited as to milk every penny from my bank. 

"Honey, she is right. You do not get to call the final shots here; I do. So, why are you treating her so harshly? Also, how many times do I have to tell you not to pursue unrealistic goals? Why don't you realize that everything is not as simple as it seems? Why can't you just forgive them and let bygones be bygones?" She glared at me. 

"You, too, are on her side?" I asked her because I was just thinking about how reasonable my wife is, but she changed in an instant. 

"So, what? She was concerned about your health, right? But you replied odiously. Did you expect me to encourage you to speak out against her like that? Don't be silly. Remember, I married you, so you must listen to me, and if you don't, you are aware of the consequences of offending me, right? Now, apologize to her." She rose from her seat and approached me. 

'I was astounded by her change in behavior. Why is she making things difficult for me? They conspired against my father; should I apologize to them? For god's sake, what the hell is going on with her?'

As I turned around, I noticed Lancy and Willow smirking. However, when I looked at Kayla, I was surprised to see that she was smiling. That means they were all acting with courtesy, but perfectly, they disguised their vengeance from Shanaya. As she was unaware of their trap, she joined hands with them in an attempt to assault me. Suddenly, I felt my cheek squeeze as I looked up to see Shanaya staring at me like a grim reaper tormenting the soul. 

“Didn't you pay heed to my words, huh? Go and apologize to her.” She gnashed her teeth and bellowed. 

“Wife you." Before I could say anything, a hard slap landed on my cheeks. 

Slap

“What did I say, huh? Get on your knees and apologize to her. If not, then prepare to face your punishments. I have tolerated enough of your nonsense. Now, either you go or I'll drag you to her." She glared at me. 

Her attitude puzzled and disappointed me, and I felt compelled to abandon her at that moment. How would you feel if your wife didn't believe in you and instead prioritised her ego first? But I remained motionless in my seat, like a rock. 

Shanaya frowned and thought, ‘Why are you so stubborn, honey? Can't you see that everything I am doing is for you? Why are you annoying me to death? Just act as if you are apologizing to her, and I swear I will give you Joseph's head in your hands. Honey, it is entirely your fault for speaking rudely to her; you could have simply said, 'I’m fine,' and the situation would have been resolved. But you kept igniting the flame, and as a result, I am stuck between you and Aunt Lancy. I know you are going to be angry and hate me, but please, darling, just do it once for my sake. You don't know, but Aunt Lancy and Mom have a good friendship, and offending her means slapping Mom in the face. Then she might force me to divorce you, which I don't want to do. Why don't you understand me, honey?’

"I am sorry, wife, but I can't." Shanaya glared angrily as those words jolted her out of her reverie. She then turned to face the drawer, pulled back the whip, and gave me a quick glance. Even though I was a little afraid, Victoria isn't worth enough to receive my apology. I thought to myself as she was walking toward me, ‘Wife, I swear I will divorce you without hesitation if you beat me for her sake.’ As a result, I remained silent and ignored, which infuriated Willow, who added fuel to the fire. 

"Ryan, I really should admire your bravery for going against your wife. Ha! You look down on us.How dare you? Do you believe that just because your wife loves you doesn't mean she can't discipline you? Look, your wife is sick of your stubbornness. What are you expecting—that someone will come and save you? Then it is a big NO. If you apologize to Mom, she will either spare you or she won't. But it appears that no one is supporting you because of your incapability. Is it possible for your sister to fly and rescue you?”

“Who dares to touch my little Ley?” A loud voice suddenly echoed from outside, and two women entered the living room. It was none other than Leona and Stephanie. Everyone was taken aback when they noticed two stunning women staring coldly at them. Victoria trembled and muttered under her breath, "Ste... Stephanie?" 

Looking at the woman who could have been on par with her daughter in terms of beauty, Kayla failed to realize the gravity of the situation. Having never seen these two women before, Shanaya scowled as well. "Who the hell are you?" Willow growled angrily at the woman, feeling jealous and envious. 

"Your death... Stephanie Ley," the woman said with a smile. Willow felt goosebumps all over her body from her smile. 

Everyone gasped when they heard, "Steph... Stephanie Ley?"

 “So, whoever dares to confront my brother, may come forward.” She said this as she came towards me. 

Our gazes locked, and my lips quivered. "Are you my sister, Stephanie?" To which she chuckled and flicked my nose. That instantly confirmed Stephanie's identity as my sister. Because whenever I got upset with her, she would flick my nose back. "Stephy you... you are back?" I blurted out as I gave her a quick hug. Tears started to well up in my eyes. 

Stephanie hugged me and was ecstatic as well, feeling warmth in her heart. It was as though she had lost something priceless and had to go through a lot of trials before finding it. She then pecked my forehead and cheeks until the marks of her lips remained on my face. She giggled and said to Leona, "Hehe, he is looking so cute, right?" Leona giggled and hugged me from behind. I was taken aback when two hot and beautiful ladies sandwiched me. Furious, red-eyed, Shanaya shoved Leona aside, and yelled, "Get your hands off him. He is mine.” 

After realizing that she was Shanaya Jonas, Leona was startled but quickly pulled herself together. But Stephanie brushed her aside, giving me a hug and patting my head as she said, "Ley, you know how much I missed you? I won't abandon you going forward, so don't worry. You'll stay with me from now on, is that clear?”