[BL]Hunted by the God of Destruction-Chapter 282: Let’s get married.

Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Let’s get married.
Three Months Later
The upstairs dressing room carried the soft hush of a house preparing for ceremony. Light spilled through tall windows in a mellow, early-afternoon gold that warmed the marble floors and softened the edges of the mirrored walls. Even the staff moved differently today, their footsteps quieter, their voices controlled, as if the whole mansion understood that this hour carried weight.
Elias stood near the long mirror, adjusting the collar of the cream suit Ego had insisted upon, his one concession to extravagance. The fabric was undeniably elegant, clean, and understated, its color chosen specifically to flatter the ceremony’s palette. He smoothed a hand along the lapel, trying not to overthink the reflection staring back at him.
Behind him, Victor was already dressed and waiting, sitting on the velvet chaise with the patient composure that suggested divine smugness more than calm. His suit, cut in deep black with subtle crimson accents, drew the eye effortlessly. The crimson lining caught the light every time he shifted, and the pocket square matched the tie perfectly, a quiet, subtle echo of the Numen crest. Three gold rings gleamed on his fingers, his hair was tied back with almost ceremonial neatness, and in his arms, small and completely oblivious to the magnitude of the day, was Aria.
She rested against his shoulder in a tiny white dress embroidered with faint silver stars, her breath warm on his neck, her tiny fingers curled against the edge of his jacket as if holding on to him was her life’s only duty.
Victor looked up when Elias adjusted his cufflinks again. "Stop worrying," he said quietly. "You look... distractingly good."
"Victor," Elias warned without turning.
"It’s just an observation," Victor replied, shifting Aria carefully when she made a soft sound. "A factual one."
Before Elias could answer, the door opened abruptly, without so much as a knock, and Ego strode inside with all the self-importance of a man who had already conquered three crises before breakfast. He wore a severe navy suit and carried himself like the wedding coordinator, strategic advisor, and father of the groom all at once.
"You two," he announced, "need to stop flirting. It is twenty-eight minutes until the ceremony."
Elias exhaled slowly. "You could knock."
"I could," Ego acknowledged, "but why would I?"
Victor’s glare could have cut metal. "Because it’s normal?"
Ego waved a hand. "Irrelevant."
Behind him, Ruo stepped into the room with far more grace, her tailored wine-red suit sharp enough to rival Victor’s. Uno followed her, calm and quiet as always, his charcoal attire contrasting subtly with the silver collar pin he wore.
Ruo stopped when she saw Elias fully dressed. A slow, dawning smile curved her mouth. "You look... breathtakingly competent."
"Don’t phrase it like that," Elias said, but the small flicker of amusement betrayed him.
Uno nodded once, approving. "It suits you well."
Victor tensed. "Stop admiring him. He’s marrying me."
"We can admire both of you," Ruo said, moving closer to look at Aria. "Speaking of which... she looks peaceful."
"She’s perfect," Victor declared instantly, adjusting her blanket like she was made of stardust and glass.
Connor burst into the room next, pushing the door fully open with theatrical flair. His suit jacket was white, his shirt black, and his sunglasses perched on his head as if he wanted the world to know he was ready for any camera pointed his way.
"You’re late," Ruo noted.
"No," Connor corrected, tossing the sunglasses onto a chair. "I’m dramatic."
His eyes moved immediately to Elias, widening with appreciative mischief. "Holy hell. You look like someone who’s about to sue me just for existing."
"Connor," Elias sighed.
"Perfection," Connor added, grinning.
Victor’s stare sharpened dangerously. "Enough."
Connor ignored him entirely. "Aria, darling," he cooed, leaning a little closer. "Your moral uncle is here."
Victor clutched her slightly closer. "No."
Uno leaned over to Ruo. "He’s reaching peak possessiveness."
"He always does," she murmured.
Ego cleared his throat sharply, drawing everyone’s attention. "We still have one unresolved matter."
Victor stiffened. "If you say
’her name’
again..."
"Her name," Ego said firmly, "is incomplete."
"No," Victor replied.
"Yes," Ego corrected.
Elias rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Not today."
"She needs a second name," Ego insisted. "For tradition. For respectability. For her future..."
"She needs peace," Elias interrupted, calm and firm. "Which she will not have if this conversation continues."
Ego bristled. "All Numen descendants have two names."
"She is not an heir," Victor said automatically.
"She is my granddaughter," Ego snapped.
"That is unfortunate for her," Victor replied.
Ruo snorted. Connor covered his mouth to hide a laugh. Uno pretended to study the window.
Ego stepped closer to Elias, narrowing his gaze. "Are you truly against giving her a second name?"
"Yes," Elias answered plainly. "She will already carry both Numen and Clarke. Anything more would be weight she didn’t ask for."
For one rare moment, the room fell silent.
Victor stared at him as if Elias had personally rewired his heartbeat.
Connor whispered, "Oh, he plays to win..."
Uno nodded. "Reasonable. Beautifully stated."
Ego took a steadying breath. "Fine," he said. "Convince me with something concrete."
Elias adjusted Aria’s blanket a little more securely. "Her name is Aria Numen-Clarke. That is already two dynasties’ worth of pressure. She doesn’t need a third layer of expectation plastered onto her."
Connor nearly fell off the chair laughing. "NUMEN-CLARKE?! I... I didn’t know we were... oh god..."
Victor lifted his chin proudly. "She will not walk into any room with less than two empires behind her."
Ego stared at them both. "I am outnumbered by children."
"You’re welcome," Ruo said.
Uno smiled faintly. "It’s poetic."
Victor brushed a kiss against Aria’s hair. "She is perfect. Name and all."
Elias checked his watch. "We need to leave in fifteen minutes."
"Ten," Ego corrected. "Guests are already arriving."
Connor stretched lazily. "The press is foaming at the mouth outside."
Uno added, "Your color coordination was leaked."
Victor smirked. "Of course it was."
Elias gave him a long, knowing look. Victor returned it with absolute innocence.
Neither of them believed him.
Aria stirred then, turning her tiny face toward Elias as if drawn by some magnetic certainty. Her cheek brushed his collarbone, and she released a small sigh that softened every voice, every posture, and every breath in the room.
Victor stood, lifting her gently before passing her to Elias with reverent care.
Elias cradled her, his expression easing, something warm settling behind his eyes. "Ready?" he asked softly.
Victor nodded, stepping closer, slipping one hand along Elias’s back as if anchoring himself there. "Yes," he murmured. "Let’s go get married."