Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

The Ashford estate had gone cold—not just in temperature, but in legacy. When Parker snapped his fingers, he didn't just teleport the crowd; he rewrote the damn venue.

Now they stood in the Wilder ballroom.

No one quite remembered walking in.

One breath, and they were there. Walls taller than memory, ceilings painted with galaxies that moved in slow spirals. Magic-glass chandeliers flickered in patterns that hummed with arcane frequency. The floor, white marble veined with starlight. Every flower in the grand arrangements shimmered with dew that hadn't been there seconds ago. Even the wine in their glasses had changed—richer, older, like time itself had aged to accommodate the moment.

It was perfect.

And somehow, it felt like Parker had been planning this for eons.

He stood now at the center of the hall, one hand in his pocket, the other loosely held by Tessa Wilder, who looked like she was caught between cosmic awe and schoolgirl giddiness. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright.

The last thing most people recalled was Parker's cold eyes snapping upward, a single, imperious breath drawn—and then reality had blinked. Space folded like origami, and in a blink, they'd been relocated from the fractured ruins of the Ashford estate to the Wilder mansion, where the party had somehow already resumed before anyone even arrived.

Luciano Wilder stood at the center, framed by shimmering banners that had not been ordered and a cake that hadn't been baked two minutes ago.

Luciano Wilder stepped forward, raising a crystal flute.

"Let the world know," he said, voice ringing against the chamber like a divine decree, "this night marks the official engagement of my granddaughter, Tessa Wilder, to the Prince of Existence."

That was the moment.

The damn moment.

Tessa whipped her head toward Maya, already grinning. "Did you hear that?" she asked, breathless. "Official. Not some ancient cosmic pact or reincarnated twin flame or marriage-before-time nonsense. A real engagement. Mine."

Maya, lounging near the head table with her wine untouched, didn't even flinch. She took a slow sip. "Sweetheart, I had my wedding before your atoms were born. You're adorable, really, but try not to peak too early."

Tessa gasped dramatically. "You're jealous!"

"I'm immortal," Maya replied, deadpan. "I don't get jealous. I get eternity."

"We get it, Grandma," Annabelle chimed in from the side, twirling a flute of something pink and undoubtedly expensive. "You were the blueprint. Now let the rest of other print their own fairytales."

Bella burst out laughing, half hiding her face in Parker's sleeve. "Oh god, she actually said it."

Whisper, chimed in with a rare grin. "She's not wrong. Tessa's winning tonight. Might as well lean into the delusion."

Tessa fake-bowed. "Thank you, my court of petty queens. I am honored by your shade."

Zhang Ruoyun didn't laugh, didn't blink. She simply stood at Parker's side, arms folded, the impassive stormcloud to Tessa's champagne pop. Helena was nearby too, sharp-eyed and unreadable, but for once, silent.

Robert Voidhowl was watching everything from behind his glass, half bemused, half admiring—like he'd seen centuries of politics and pain and still found joy in this ridiculous display, eyes trained on his daughter, who now laughed freely among girls around then boy she used to sabotage. She was glowing again. Not with magic. With life.

Tessa turned back to Parker, unable to stop smiling. "Tell them it's real," she whispered.

He looked down at her, and for once, let himself smile back. Soft. Full. Dangerous.

"It's real," he said.

The room exhaled, and the stars on the ceiling flared a little brighter.

The engagement of the millennium had officially begun.

"With that, ladies and gentlemen," the old man said, voice rich and thunderous, "as of today, I formally declare the engagement of my granddaughter, Tessa Wilder, to the man who reminded the world what legacy, power, and protection truly mean. Parker of House Nyxlith, Prince of Existence."

The room froze in disbelief for only a second—then applause erupted like divine approval crashing through velvet halls.

Tessa made no attempt to hide her grin as she looped her arm through Parker's and gave him a proud, conspiratorial glance.

Maya rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Engagements are so dramatic. I had my wedding a few billion years ago."

"Sure, Grandma," Tessa drawled with mock innocence, flipping her curls. "But some of us still enjoy traditional rites."

Annabelle, lounging on a golden divan with a flute of something pink and possibly illegal, chimed in without missing a beat. "We get, grandmother of galaxies. Some of us are still catching up."

Bella and Whisper both cracked up, Whisper muttering, "She's not wrong," before tossing a cherry at Annabelle's head. It froze midair and melted into a butterfly that perched in her hair.

Zhang Ruoyun stood in the background, arms folded, gaze unreadable as always—part guardian, part storm cloud. Helena adjusted her gown and tilted her head ever so slightly, acknowledging Parker with a nod that carried a thousand buried meanings.

Parker didn't speak for a long time. He didn't have to. The way he looked at Tessa when she wasn't watching, the way the room bent around him like existence held its breath in his presence—that was declaration enough. But then, casually, with hands still tucked into his pockets.

Ethereal instruments began to play, strings woven from aurora threads and bass lines born from the heartbeat of the earth itself. The first dance was beginning.

Tessa turned to him, the edge of her smile teasing. "You gonna float me or step on my toes like you did last time we danced?"

"I can step on timelines, Tess," he murmured. "Your toes are safe."

As they walked to the center of the floor, Bella pulled Maya closer with a grin. "Do you think Parker would still accept engagement gifts? Because I'm broke, but I know where to find one of the stolen golden apples."

Maya snorted. "You're his creation, Bella. Maybe don't bribe him with mythical fruit to love you."

"Please," Whisper deadpanned. "That fruit gives visions. It'd be the most appropriate gift for this chaos couple."

Annabelle leaned against a pillar, chin in her hand, watching it all unfolds. She wasn't smiling in her usual smug way.

She was...soft. Quiet. Still processing.

She caught Bella looking and rolled her eyes. "What? I can have emotions. Just not... obvious ones."

Bella only smiled.

Back on the dancefloor, Tessa spun once, laughter catching in her throat as the stars above shifted to match her steps. Parker's eyes never left her. And for that one divine moment, the world wasn't at war, the throne wasn't in jeopardy, and fate wasn't trying to devour everything he loved.