My Mother is the Villain

Chapter 26: Choice

Victor slept, but news about him had already spread across the entire Ancient Blood Continent.

Everything that happened at the banquet was retold without exaggeration—except for his talent, which people claimed would undoubtedly allow him to become a World Monarch.

There were even rumors that Bella Thunder had tried to kill him out of jealousy, but her spear failed to pierce his body, even though Victor hadn’t resisted.

Some details weren’t fully revealed, but they still spread among certain circles.

Victor, sleeping soundly, seemed unlikely to wake even by noon. Yet early in the morning, a loud shout jolted him awake.

"Victor, get out here! If you dare, fight me to the death!"

Victor sat up immediately, his brows knitting together.

The voice was familiar.

Lukas Hernandez.

He wasn’t surprised that Lukas had come—but this early?

Aside from Alex, whose talent Victor had stolen, this man was the one who had suffered the most because of him.

First, Victor took his Heavenly Lightning Spirit, then his Heavenly Destruction Lightning.

And yesterday... he took his lover.

Unfortunately, Victor hadn’t responded when Lukas asked him to stay away, so there had never been any agreement between them.

Even so, what Victor wanted was only status. That was why he had given her time to think—he had already received his reward.

Choosing the path of evil didn’t mean he would indulge his desires for a woman who didn’t want him.

Victor stepped out of his room, where Emma was already waiting.

"Young Master, shall I teach that brat a lesson?" she asked.

Now a Paragon, Emma didn’t even put Lukas in her eyes.

"No need," Victor replied.

He walked out of the castle.

Naturally, the clan members had gathered in a commotion—someone was shouting right in front of their gates.

"Brat, what are you doing? How dare you cause trouble in the Russell Clan?" a clan elder scolded, pressing Lukas down with an aura he couldn’t resist.

His hair was thrown into disarray, yet he forced himself to remain standing.

"Let him be," Victor said as he arrived.

The elder immediately stopped, bowed, and stepped back.

Lukas looked much the same as he had four years ago. The difference was that he was now fully recovered, and his aura had grown deeper. Though he hadn’t reached the Great Sovereign Realm, he was already at the peak of the Sovereign Realm.

Despite arriving in a rage, he was still stunned when he saw Victor.

His appearance, his natural aura—Lukas couldn’t help but feel inferior, as if he wasn’t worthy of facing him.

Of course, he couldn’t back down now.

He pointed his sword at Victor.

"I’ll lower my cultivation to your current realm so you won’t have any excuse about fighting a senior. Do you dare?" he said coldly.

"Fighting won’t solve anything," Victor replied.

"What, are you afraid? You dream of becoming a World Monarch, yet you don’t even dare to settle things with a fight?" Lukas shouted, his emotions spiraling out of control.

Victor figured there must be some reason behind his confidence.

But he only shrugged.

"How about we wait for Ella to arrive and let her decide for herself? I didn’t force her—I gave her time to think."

"What did you say?" Lukas was stunned.

He had thought Ella’s fate was already sealed.

But it wasn’t.

Why hadn’t she told him she was given a choice?

Was she actually considering accepting this—becoming Victor’s concubine?

If not, she should have refused immediately.

"Just wait here," Victor said.

He himself was curious about what Ella would choose.

If she truly loved Lukas, she would resist her clan’s pressure no matter what.

But things would be different if she chose to be pragmatic.

It didn’t take long before Ella arrived, accompanied by her father and many clan members.

The commotion had clearly forced them to come quickly.

Ella appeared elegant, her hair neatly tied up, still wearing a blue dress.

Her head was slightly lowered.

She didn’t even look at Lukas, who stood right in front of the Russell Clan’s gates.

Why?

Lukas wondered.

When she stopped, her gaze went only to Victor.

Everyone looked at each other.

Was this going to be another apology?

"Young Master, I once again apologize for causing you trouble," she said. "I have made my decision—I am willing to become your concubine, if you will accept me."

"...."

"Ella... you..." Lukas gasped, his face turning pale.

He had already sensed something was wrong—and now it became reality.

After being given a choice, she had decided for herself.

She even said it openly—calling herself a concubine.

Yet instead of responding to Lukas, Ella kept her eyes fixed on Victor.

People could change their minds—but what about Victor?

Would he still accept her, a woman who was no longer pure?

Ella was far from calm. She feared Victor might have only been playing with her.

If he rejected her now, her relationship with Lukas would be shattered, and she would return to her clan with nothing.

All her decisions were made for the sake of her clan—and herself.

Becoming Victor’s woman would benefit both.

Though it meant abandoning love, after endless contemplation, Ella realized she wasn’t the type to lose herself entirely to it.

Or rather, Lukas wasn’t enough to make her give up everything.

Perhaps he would have been... if she were five years younger.

But now, she had begun to weigh the benefits of a relationship.

Victor didn’t respond to Ella immediately. Instead, he looked at Lukas first.

"Do you still want to fight me?" he asked.

It was a question Lukas couldn’t answer.

What was the point of fighting now?

He had already lost.

This was no longer about someone stealing his woman.

She had chosen this path herself.

Without saying a word, he turned around and flew away.

As a man, he possessed a strong heart—the foundation of his powerful cultivation.

Now that everything had happened, he could suppress the pain within.

Ella glanced at him briefly as he left, but still, her focus remained on Victor’s answer.

The longer he stayed silent, the worse her premonition grew.

Victor hadn’t even decided yet when he was suddenly startled—

His mother appeared right beside him out of nowhere.

Her appearance was accompanied by long, dark crimson chains that seemed illusory—yet they easily dragged back Lukas, who had just left.

BANG!

He was slammed hard into the ground, his face filled with confusion, unable to comprehend what had just happened.