"You're going to what now?"

Edward sets down his newspaper when he hears his wife exclaim loudly at the revelation. Their daughter, Primrose, is here again today to speak up about her decision to attend House Cents's party at Forgotten Hollow.

"Yes Mom, I'll go as Caleb's date."

"Primrose, I know that you mean well and I doubt that Caleb Vatore has any malicious deeds, but to go there?" Rosalina's face is anything but please "Why Primrose? We're not saying no to your relationship with him, but you should not put yourself in danger like that."

But the water mage shakes her head, knowing that her mother is lying. While they say nothing about Caleb's intention to win her back, it is clear that her parents are not fond of the idea. The reason why she wants to tell them about this party is to ensure that they know Caleb is serious about his decision to pursue her and even goes as far as to introduce her to the elites of the vampire society.

Rosalina sighs, unsure what to say about this. Primrose has been infatuated with Caleb to the point that she is willing to put herself in danger for him. While she admires how much her daughter can do for the sake of love, she can't help but feel fearful for her safety.

And then, there is Caleb Vatore, this mysterious man that she only hears through gossiping and her husband's research. Why he chooses Primrose, why he wants to put her in grave danger, Rosalina doesn't know. But she must put some sense in her daughter's mind before she goes crazy with what she can do for love.

Maybe she has been too naïve to think that her daughter is mature enough to understand what is right and what is wrong.

"Primrose!" setting down the newspaper, Edward looks at the clock and then at her "Unless you can prove that Caleb Vatore truly cares about you, we can not approve of this relationship."

Her father's words are cold cruel, cutting through her heart like a sharp blade. She grows frustrated but remains silent.

"You come here to tell us about this, thinking that it can change our mind about your relationship? You are wrong, my dear daughter." he continues "Unless he can come here and tell us why he chooses to put you in danger, I will not allow you to go, even if it means to use force on you."

Primrose looks at her father with widened eyes. The icy gaze on his blue orbs is a dead giveaway that he is very serious about this. If he has to use the name Emberlynn to protect her and his family, he will do it.

Maybe coming here is a mistake. She comes here without telling her brother, knowing that Nathaniel will only make things worse with his loud and profound opinion. Primrose hopes that her parents will understand her situation and how Caleb is trying his best to ensure that she is recognized in the vampire world as his partner. But Edward and Rosalina are more worried about their daughter's safety than the idea of her being a potential mate of a vampire lord.

Unless she brings Caleb here and talks things out with them, her father will not back down from a fight. Sighing, she has caused the young lord more trouble than it should. But Primrose is not ready to give up on them, so she pulls out her phone and sends a text message to Caleb. Within a few seconds, he replies, saying that he will be there.

"Caleb will come, Dad." she mutters under her breath "B-but please, don't make things too hard on him."

"I will talk to him however I please, Primrose. It is not your job to tell me what I should and should not do."

Sighing again, her father is the scariest when he is upset. Rosalina taps her shoulders, motioning her daughter to follow her to somewhere more private. Before things can take a turn for the worse, she needs to talk to Primrose to reevaluate her decision.

"Primrose, what is the true reason why you want to do this?" Rosalina looks at her "I need to know, my dear child. Why is it that you would go to such lengths for a man who once broke your heart?"

The raven head looks at her mother, unsure how to explain at first. She may be a writer who moves the hearts of thousands of fans but to her mother, her words are more than just some elaborated stories she wishes to write. Rosalina is truly concerned about her and what harm can get in her way if she chooses to stay by Caleb's side, and no mother wants to see her child in pain.

"I…Caleb…he…" she stumbles on her words, but takes in a deep breath as she continues "I know that it's hard to believe these words, especially if they come from me. But Mom, I want to be with him, with Caleb…"

Despite the pain and heartbreak he caused her, Primrose knows that she would never love anyone as much as she loves him. For many years, she tries to move on, to forget about him and the moments they shared, but no matter how much she tries and begs herself to let go, her mind always goes back to the beginning of their connection. That is why she can not pursue a relationship, she can not love someone else while still thinking about him, and it will only hurt them.

Her mind points fingers at him, telling her that he is the source of the pain and suffering she has been through after all these years. And she believed that to be true, until the day he appeared in front of her.

Caleb comes back and apologizes to her, at that moment, she realizes that she doesn't know anything about him besides her own judgment of how he left and abandoned her. She wishes to know the truth and he gives her the answers she desperately wants to know. She can not hate him, Primrose can not hate Caleb for what he did. And everything he did was for her safety…

"Primrose, do you know how much danger you're getting yourself into?"Rosalina speaks up "Not only you, but everyone around you as well…"

She nods, acknowledging everything her mom said. Getting involved with Caleb and his family means she is putting herself in the spotlight, and that place is a dangerous one. Everyone around her will get hurt as a result of her actions, it's a painful realization, but Primrose accepts it. The moment that man comes back into her life, she knows that nothing will be the same anymore…

"I'm sorry, but…" she looks at her mother, tired yet determined "I can't let him go, not again, not anymore. If I have to cut ties with everyone to protect them, I might do it…"

Rosalina sighs, shaking her head. When did everything become like this…? She doesn't know. There is a complex look on her face, as if she has seen this scenario somewhere before…

"That is a selfish act, Primrose. You're not doing anyone a favor, you're just dumping the consequences onto us."

Her mother's words cut deep, but she remains unwavering.

"We as the Emberlynn stay together as a team. You do not have the right to abandon us, nor do we have the right to do that to you." grabbing onto her shoulders, Rosalina continues "I am your mother, Primrose. No matter what happens, no matter how much danger you are facing, know that I will never let you go. You will do well to remember that."

Tears well up in her eyes as she nods, feeling grateful for her mother's understanding. She might not be happy with her decision but Primrose is glad to have such a wonderful, selfless mother like her.

But Rosalina is not the most difficult obstacle she has to go through. The moment she hears the doorbell, Primrose already knows how the next conversation is going to play out.

Primrose hides behind the hallway to the living room, peeking at the two men sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table. Edward is crossing his arms and legs, a strong protective aura exuding out of him. Caleb, on the other hand, is still wearing a composure look, that small friendly smile never leaves his face.

"So you're the one who my daughter is talking about." bringing out his hand, Edward smiles "My name is Edward Emberlynn, I am Primrose's father."

"My pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Caleb Vatore."

The grip on Caleb's hand is anything but welcome. Edward, though smiling, his eyes aren't doing the same thing. The blueness of his orbs pierce through Caleb's silver ones and for a moment, the vampire lord realizes what Marlin meant by can't see through.

The man in front of him is not just an ordinary, kind, and gentle history professor…

This is someone who is willing to get their hands dirty if it means to protect his family…

"Primrose! Come out here too, I need to talk to both of you."

The raven head flinches at her father's sternness and obliges, making herself comfortable on the seat next to Caleb. She makes sure to hold a comfortable distance between them, knowing that her father is watching every action they take.

"It has come to my notice that you, lord Vatore, are going to take my daughter to a party hosted by House Cents. Is that true?"

"Yes sir, I believe Primrose has told you that."

"Indeed she has. However, would it be so hard for you to come and ask for permission?"

Edward wastes no time pinning Caleb as someone without any respect for the elders in Primrose's family. His words, harshed but understandable, are directed at the young lord, but he remains silent.

"You are also the man who hurt my daughter years ago, aren't you?"

"Dad!"

"Sit down, Primrose!" she freezes at the order and looks away frustrated "I am talking to lord Vatore."

Caleb steals a glance at her and almost can't hold back his chuckle, this is a completely different dynamic than he sees her normally. This man who chooses to give up everything to be with his wife is also the man who holds such a high authority over this family right now. Primrose might now know what her father did in the past but Caleb is well aware of what happened. The inheritance scandal within the Emberlynn family was so outrageous that almost everyone in the supernatural world knew about it.

"It's okay, Primrose." slightly holding onto her hand, the warm smile never leaves his face "My apology, sir. Please don't scold her, I'm sure she means no harm."

The raven head chews on her bottom lips, the way her father scolds her and how Caleb swiftly steps in to defend her makes Primrose feel like she is a burden in this conversation.

"And to answer your previous question, I will not deny any pain I have caused your daughter, sir."

"Yet you still think that it's okay to come back into her life like nothing has ever happened and even dare bring my daughter into a dangerous place like Forgotten Hollow?"

Edward's choice of words may sound calm and collected but the underlying venomous tone is right there. He is not pleased with what is happening to the water mage. He may just view this relationship as nothing more than a small reunion that will end on its own. He may give it a pass if Primrose has not brought up the topic of going to House Cents's party.

As a history teacher and a member of House Emberlynn, Edward understands the scope of this problem better than anyone else in his family. He can not just sit back and watch his daughter get hurt and thrown around like a rag doll in a world full of political turmoil like the vampire society.

"And Primrose, are you willing to be a doormat like that? To let everyone step on you and humiliate you just because you are a human?"

She flinches at her father's cold words, unsure how to respond. Rosalina has a more gentle approach to delicate topics like this but Edward has no obligation to walk on eggshells and is willing to cut down any hopes his daughter has to ensure her safety.

"Do you understand how big this whole ordeal is, Primrose? Even if you're able to secure your position as his partner, what about offspring? Can you give him a pureblood vampire like his family desires?"

The bang in her heart is almost too loud for this tense air.

"Can you stand by and watch him marry another vampire to ensure the bloodline?"

The knife cuts deep into her heart, opening a new wound.

"Can you bear to see your child being treated differently just because they are a half-breed?"

A sob escapes her lips. All of Edward's words are proven to be too much for her to handle…

"That is how his world works Primrose. You can not just bring rainbow and sunshine into a place where history and tradition are absolute." fixing his glasses, Edward turns to Caleb, who hasn't said a word "It seems like there are things that sir Caleb Vatore here still hide from you, do you wish to give your heart to man like him? Someone with many secrets to hide and will never be able to show you his true self?"

Rosalina stays on the sideline, watching everything unfold in front of her eyes. Her heart aches at Edward's words but they are the truth. If Primrose can not grasp these concepts and how different her human world is compared to Caleb's vampire ones, their daughter will make the biggest mistake in her life. She loves the raven head dearly, but Primrose must understand how complicated this whole situation is. Whether she has the strength to push through is up to her…

"I understand that you might hold a grudge against me for hurting Primrose. For that, I am deeply sorry for my past actions. However, please don't hurt your daughter like that." Caleb speaks up, his hold on her hand tightens "She deserves much more than having her heart bleed because of those words."

Primrose lowers her head, she can not speak up. It hurts her so much that everything she wants to say is stuck in her throat, forming a big lump that is painful to swallow.

"On the topic of my lineage, your concerns about my world and how prejudiced it is when it comes to pureblood and halfbreed are valid. But I don't choose Primrose simply because she is one of many possible mates who can carry my offspring, she is the woman I hold dear to my heart. I will not allow anyone, even her father, to hurt her."

She jumps at the shift in the atmosphere. Turning to her side, she is shocked to see how his silver orbs are now red, the red of blood. Dark hues exude out of him, wrapping around them like a nice little blanket. Edward sits across the young pair, his hand reaching for the pocket watch in his trousers, ready to engage in the violent act if Caleb so chooses. There is a warning glint in his blue eyes, a strong sense of protectiveness surging within the older blond as he sends Primrose a look, telling her to back away from that man.

"Caleb, no!" she speaks up, grabbing onto his arms tightly "You will not hurt my father!"

The young lord grunts agonizingly before taking in a deep breath, pushing away the irritation that hawks in his heart. He needs to stay calm, he can not engage the matter with such a violent display. The man in front of him is Primrose's father, Caleb must respect him, even if the man is actively hurting his beloved with those cruel words.

Edward looks at them, noticing how the dark clouds die down and those bloody red orbs revert back to their original silver color. Primrose is still holding onto Caleb's arm, grounding the vampire lord to the present moment. Despite the warm and fuzzy feeling she has for him, the raven head can not let him hurt her parents. She will never forgive herself if something happens to Edward and Rosalina. Sensing how the danger slowly fades away, Edward exhales, reverting his hand out of the trousers' pocket, and fixes his glasses.

"Then tell us your plan, Lord Vatore. What can you do to make our daughter happy? What is it that makes us change our mind and accept you as part of our family?"

Rosalina smiles fondly at Edward's words. She steps in and takes a seat next to her husband. No matter what happens, it's always a two-person decision in his mind, Edward's and hers.

"I can not promise you anything right now, sir. But if I can have your and her mother's blessings, even if it means to lay down my life, I will always protect Primrose and never let her go." Caleb's voice is firm, a vow to her parents but also to her "My biggest regret and mistake was to let her go in the past and I will never do that again."

A giggle escapes Rosalina's lips as she touches her husband's shoulder. Her touch, as light as a feather, draws his attention, and nods her head in approval. Edward stops for a moment, thinking about Caleb's words one by one. Is it worth it to give up everything just because of those sweet and heartfelt words? Are they just empty promises or something that carries a weight of responsibility? Will his daughter be happy?

Looking at the young couple in front of him again, his arm wraps around Primrose protectively, as if he is ready to fight whoever dares to hurt her. Caleb's eyes, while red, speak louder than his words. The determination and unwavering promise, a vow to always keep Primrose safe. Those eyes that the young lord is wearing match his years ago when he decided to step down from the heir position to be with Rosalina.

Oh what crazy things they can do for love…

Thinking about it makes Edward chuckle.

"Primrose, your opinion?"

She looks at her parents, observing. Once she has committed to do this, there is no going back. Caleb's eyes are on her, kind and gentle, despite the blood-red color. His arm around her, tight and protective, shielding her from everything. In his arms, Primrose always feels so safe. It's her home, her safest place…

"I want to be with him…"

Taking off his glasses, Edward rubs them with a small cloth, sighing. Nathaniel is not going to like this…

"We as the Emberlynns stick together through thick and thin. No matter what happens, you are always our daughter, our blood, our flesh. Never forget that, Primrose." turning to Caleb, he continues "Lord Vatore, prove to us that you can make our daughter happy, that you can protect her, that you can give her the love she truly deserves. If you can do that, we will give this relationship our blessing."

Her face beams up at the kind words. She stands up and walks to her parents, hugging them tightly and whispering thank you. Primrose is grateful that her parents are finally accepting them.

"Thank you." Caleb speaks up with great gratitude "I will not let you both down."