Chapter 1657 - 1599: Then Let’s Get the Marriage Certificate

The commotion in the yard naturally alerted Marcus Quinn and Atran inside the house. When they came out, they saw Yeats Howard pinned down by four bodyguards; two held his legs, and two held his arms. Yeats was spewing provocative words, causing the faces of the Duncan Family members to turn ashen.

"What are you doing?" Marcus Quinn coldly asked.

As soon as Marcus appeared, the bodyguards let go of the eldest Howard and limped aside, each with a sour expression. Yeats Howard was trained, and he knew exactly where to hit to cause pain. These men didn’t dare to actually engage with Yeats, essentially becoming human sandbags.

"Marcus, you came out just in time. Get this scoundrel out," Logan Duncan said confidently as soon as Marcus emerged. After all, this was Marcus’s house, and he was Marcus’s father; Yeats Howard, this vile son of a bitch, was an outsider.

Yeats Howard immediately smiled when he heard this, his hand resting on his waist, and he provocatively said with his arm draped over Marcus’s shoulder, "Old geezer, Marcus calls you dad as a courtesy. But you don’t see the value in it, bringing all these people over—what’s your plan? To demolish the house, set it on fire, or target Marcus?"

Logan Duncan, with years in politics, always kept a smiling face even with rivals before him, never receiving such disrespect before. He immediately pointed at Yeats, cursing, "Disgraceful scoundrel, using the Howard Family’s power to intervene in the Duncan Family’s affairs?"

"Bringing a group of thugs to see your son, yet accusing us Howard Family folks of exploiting our power. You’re the heartless one, clambering up through Marcus’s maternal connections, seducing a new spouse before your original wife’s corpse was cold. Who in the Imperial City doesn’t know your Duncan Family’s dirty laundry? And you have the cheek to speak of dignity, you ungrateful wretch!" Yeats Howard belted out curses.

In this verbal battle, the eldest Howard came out triumphant, leaving even Elowen Duncan speechless.

Seeing his son expressionless and not driving out Yeats Howard, Logan Duncan swallowed his pride, ignoring Yeats, and said to Marcus, "Marcus, where have you been all these years? We’ve been searching hard for you."

Such clarity shocked the crowd, almost dropping their jaws to the ground.

Marcus furrowed his brows, held onto Yeats Howard, not wanting the situation to escalate, especially with Atran present—his reputation diminished with a biological father and stepsister being so unbearable.

"Why hold me back? This old geezer has a black heart," Yeats Howard sneered.

Marcus patted Yeats Howard’s shoulder, silently thanking him. The Howard Family’s status was unquestionable, and Yeats wasn’t inherently confrontational; he appreciated the gesture.

"Retired a few years ago, been living out there since," Marcus casually responded.

Father and son had been separated since early years, Marcus brought back to the Duncan Family at eight or nine. At that time, Duncan was busy currying favor with the maternal family, too occupied for Marcus; they hardly exchanged words throughout the year. Marcus lived like a lodger, feeling little affection.

Such estrangement couldn’t be patched with mere words.

"Since you’ve returned to the Imperial City, why are you still living outside? Pack up and come home," Logan Duncan, realizing Yeats Howard’s presence wouldn’t yield favor, opted to cajole his son home to privately discuss matters.

"Thank you, but I’m leaving the Imperial City today, so I won’t return to the Duncan Family," Marcus said, glancing at Atran without introducing her.

Atran’s eyes were still swollen, having recovered from previous blows, coldly witnessing Yeats Howard and the Duncan family’s squabbling. Understanding some Duncan misdeeds, noting Marcus wasn’t addressing his father, she knew they shared little beyond an outsider relationship and remained silent, merely stepping forward to hold Marcus’s hand.

All things considered, it was amusing—they were both pathetic loners clinging for warmth.

Marcus tightly held Atran’s hand, warming his heart, making all the cold and cruel past experiences seem trivial because fate granted him the best gift.

Logan Duncan, observing their clasped hands, naturally spotted the diamond ring on Atran’s hand; hearing they were leaving the Imperial City was unacceptable. He hurriedly remarked, "Marcus, you’ve found a woman and don’t even recognize your dad? Elowen, was she the one who made you look bad?"

Atran realized Duncan’s gaze lingered on her hand, recalling her hazy state when returning, forgetting to remove the wedding ring, instinctively retracting her hand.

Duncan signaled Elowen, who promptly approached, saying, "Dad, she ruined my dress, embarrassed me before everyone. Brother rejecting us must be her doing; he used to be very filial."

Atran was speechless, and Marcus’s expression turned icy, sternly saying, "We have a flight to catch, so if you have anything to say, please be quick."

Elowen, enviously eyeing Atran’s pretty face, stomped her feet, shouting, "Marcus, are you my brother or not? This woman made me lose all face before people, and I’m getting married. You bought her a diamond ring worth millions, but don’t know to prepare your sister’s dowry? The family spent years searching for you, depleting our savings."

As soon as Elowen Duncan spoke, Yeats Howard spat out a mouthful of tea, looking at Elowen Duncan with an expression of disdain. The Duncan family is truly senseless.

Seeing Marcus Quinn being naturally reticent and encountering such relatives, Ata had to step in to clarify: "Miss Duncan, you’re the one who first tarnished Marcus’s reputation in front of everyone. If you don’t treat him as a brother, then why should he treat you as a sister?

Secondly, in this world, I’ve only heard of husbands buying diamond rings for their wives, never heard of having to prepare a dowry for a sister. Isn’t the dowry supposed to be earned by yourself?

Lastly, how much money have you taken from Marcus over the years, how was it spent, who were the people you hired, where are the employment agreements, please provide the proof, lest you squandered the money yourself and put the blame on Marcus."

Having spoken to this point, Ata instead decided not to leave. Over the years, her relatives acted just like Marcus’s family, her father was kind-hearted and always reluctant to sever ties with relatives, using money to support them. Later, when she was kidnapped and her father got sick and hospitalized, those people not only failed to show any gratitude but instead conspired to divide the Chase family’s assets, which angered her father to death.

The blood-soaked example is right in front of them, and now the Duncan family has made up their mind to rely on Marcus, she couldn’t just watch Marcus suffer.

"Indeed, you say your family is truly laughable, and you are not afraid of losing face. The Duncan family is at least a prominent family in the Imperial City, but they squander everywhere, and when the daughter has no dowry, she turns to her brother for it. So, you came today just to demand money from Marcus? Bringing people from your uncle’s family as well, you’ve really lost face all the way to your grandmother’s place. Huh, didn’t you report to the police? Where are they, did they die somewhere? Hurry up and arrest this group of shameless people," sneered Yeats Howard from the side.

The people who received the report were all standing outside against the wall, hearing Yeats Howard’s voice inside, didn’t make a sound.

This is a family matter, and with the Howard Family’s Demon King involved, who dares to wade into this mess? As long as no fighting starts inside, they just turn a blind eye, clock off, and go home! These days, if you’re on a mission in the Imperial City without any sense, you’ve been laid off long ago.

Father Duncan was enraged, his face flushed red, and he angrily said, "What’s this got to do with you, get lost."

"Marcus, are you going to ignore our survival? When the old man of the Quinn Family died, if it weren’t for dad bringing you back, if it weren’t for my mom giving you food, you would’ve starved to death. Raised you all these years, now you’re turning your back on us without recognizing people, has your conscience been eaten by a dog?" Elowen Duncan, typically arrogant and hot-tempered, seeing Marcus being unresponsive, with Ata’s sharp and eloquent manner, suddenly got angry and cursed at Marcus directly.

"Oh dear, I’m so angry," Yeats Howard was so furious that he nearly smashed the teapot, pulling Marcus aside, he said, "Don’t lose your head, hasn’t the Duncan family harmed you enough?"

Marcus was silent for a moment and asked, "What’s the current situation inside the Duncan family?"

"With my Howard Family keeping an eye on them, the Duncan family has been squeaky clean while in office all these years," Yeats Howard laughed.

Marcus nodded, when he left the Duncan family, he didn’t take his mother’s dowry, and some of his grandfather’s inheritance was also in his father’s hands, enough for them to live comfortably for a lifetime, just that no amount of money can withstand squandering.

"Marcus, what are you thinking? You’re not really considering giving them money, are you?" Yeats Howard glared fiercely at Father Duncan and Elowen, lowered his voice, and said, "For them to be able to come here, it means they know this courtyard house is in your name, they’re here for the house."

"I’m leaving the house to Ata," Marcus said softly, looking at Ata.

Ata was slightly stunned, Marcus hadn’t mentioned this to her.

"That’s right, you two might as well get your marriage certificate now, wouldn’t Marcus’s registration be back to his original residence after retirement? Just get married in the Imperial City, shove the house under Ata’s name, would the Duncan family then go after the wife for the house?" Yeats Howard hatched a plan, laughing.

Marcus’s deep gaze fell on Ata, Ata felt a bit dizzy, it seemed they were talking about the property transfer, rather than marriage.

"Sis-in-law, hurry up and nod, this courtyard house is worth over a billion, after today, you’ll be a billionaire," Yeats Howard urged from the side.

This marriage is too sudden, Ata opened her mouth, feeling the day’s impact was indeed too much, first learning about the beast-like nature of her previous fiancé, and then immediately getting a marriage certificate? The purpose of marriage is to take over assets worth over a billion?

"Handle the property transfer first, as for when you want to get married, it’s up to you," the man gazed deeply at Ata, said in a low voice.

From the side, Yeats Howard watched with amazement, realizing it’s a setup to give away a house.

Ata looked at Marcus’s resolute and mature face, then noticed the Duncan family staring at her intently, and said, "Then let’s go get the marriage certificate."

With that sentence, Ata unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, as if a long-delayed task was finally about to be done.