Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law

Marcel Horne was transferred back to T City and was still holding his position in the army. Although the two servicemen did not know that he had already been transferred back, they were aware that he was a military officer and held the rank of battalion commander.

Today, Marcel wasn't wearing his military uniform but donned casual attire instead: a light blue long-sleeved shirt, covered by a beige vest, and a pair of straight black trousers, which underscored his air as a young master.

Marcel saluted the two servicemen and then drove the car into the compound.

The compound was inhabited by military families. Marcel had lived here for a time, so the people around knew him.

He parked the car in front of a building. It was a simple and plain two-story structure, which, compared to the villas of the Horne and Bluen families, was as different as heaven and earth.

Marcel's father, a chief of staff, also had a serviceman stationed in front of the house. Seeing Marcel's car come to a stop, the serviceman immediately approached. Marcel had just opened the car door and stepped out when the serviceman greeted him warmly with a smile, "Brother Marcel, you're back."

Having been on guard duty at the Horne family home for many years and being a year younger than Marcel, the two were familiar with each other, hence the serviceman addressing him as Brother Marcel.

Marcel nodded at him slightly, then walked around the car to open the door for Ruby Bluen.

"Brother Marcel, is this your wife?" the serviceman asked with a mischievous chuckle. His smile deepened when he saw the attractive and charming Ruby. "Your wife is very beautiful and has such a presence; the commander and Mrs. Horne would surely be very happy to see her."

"Max, are my dad and mom home?" Marcel asked as he took Ruby's hand, walking back to Max. His voice was low, and his face was devoid of any smile. Authority emanated from every inch of his visage. If Max weren't so familiar with him, he would have never dared to laugh in such a carefree manner.

"They're both here. You two should go on in," Max urged eagerly.

After introducing Ruby to Max, Marcel led her into the house.

Sovia Morris was sitting in the living room, worry etched across her face as she gazed at her husband, who was absorbed in reading a military journal across from her. Seeing that her husband was still engrossed in the paper, Sovia could no longer hold back and spoke softly, "Old Horne, why hasn't our boy Marcel come back yet? Didn't he agree to be transferred back this time? Why haven't we heard anything from the old lady? Did he change his mind at the last minute?"

"He'll probably be back in the next couple of days," Old Horne responded nonchalantly, seemingly unworried about whether his son would return. He knew his son's character well. If Marcel had accepted the transfer order, he would certainly come back.

"Old Horne, why do you always have this attitude? Marcel is our only child, and you seem not to care whether or not he returns. If it weren't for the old lady mentioning it again, would you even have used your connections to transfer him back? Tibet is so far away; just thinking about the round trip..."

"Mom!" Sovia Morris hadn't finished speaking when she heard a familiar voice calling out. She turned her head and saw the tall figure of Marcel Horne come into view. She was initially stunned and then overjoyed. She quickly stood up from the couch, turned, and went to greet him. Her eyes were fixed on Marcel Horne; she didn't even notice he was holding Ruby Bluen's hand, nor that Ruby was carrying many gifts.

"Marcel, you... you really came back?" Sovia Morris was so happy that she was at a loss for words.

Her son had been in Tibet for five years. He had returned so infrequently that she couldn't count the times on three fingers. Every return was a mix of happiness and melancholy for her because his visits were always short. He was always rushing back and forth, just long enough for her, his mother, to catch a glimpse before he had to rush back to T City for his grandmother to see him. It was as if their home was nothing more than a platform at a train station: a brief stop before departure. This time, however, was different. Naturally, she was overjoyed and at a loss for words.

"Mom, I'm back." Marcel Horne's usually stern facial features softened a bit as he glanced again at Mr. Horne. Mr. Horne had put down his newspaper and stood up, his imposing face serious, especially when he saw Marcel holding Ruby's hand. Flames seemed to burn in his deep-set eyes.

As a parent, he knew his son very well. Marcel Horne had never had a girlfriend. Bringing Ruby Bluen home now, even a fool could understand Marcel's intentions.

Ruby had originally been the fiancée of Marcel's elder brother, Glades Horne. The wedding date had been set, and all members of the Horne family knew of it. Unexpectedly, Ruby ran away when it was time to register the marriage. When the family learned of this, they were furious, and their opinion of Ruby plummeted. Perhaps Ruby had her reasons, or perhaps they were too fond of Glades to forgive her actions. Had there not been a dramatic change in events, the Horne family surely would not have let the matter rest.

Now, seeing his son arrive with Ruby and holding her hand tightly, Mr. Horne immediately thought that Ruby's fleeing the wedding was for Marcel. Flames leaped in his heart. If he hadn't spent years in the military cultivating an unshakeable composure, he would have done more than just stand up with a stern expression.

"Uncle, Auntie, hello," Ruby Bluen greeted them gently.

Only after she spoke did Sovia Morris realize her presence. Once Sovia saw who it was, her smiling face immediately turned dark. Then, seeing Marcel holding Ruby's hand, she impulsively swatted their hands apart. Pulling Marcel to the couch and leaving Ruby behind, she faced her with a grim expression and said coldly, "Miss Bluen, you still have the nerve to come back?"

"Mom." Marcel Horne removed his mother's hand, brought the somewhat embarrassed Ruby to the couch, and sat down with her. His actions signaled to his parents that there was something between him and Ruby.

Sovia Morris's expression changed dramatically again, and she stared at Marcel in disbelief.

Old Horne, however, sat down heavily, his piercing gaze fixed on Marcel and Ruby as he said solemnly and with a cold tone, "Marcel, Ruby, can you tell me what's going on here?"

"Old Horne, before you ask what's going on, let me do the asking," Sovia Morris, always blunt and to the point, immediately interrupted her husband. It was clear that in this household, she was the true boss. Mr. Horne might be a chief of staff outside, but at home, he was probably just another Serviceman.

Staring at Ruby, the unwelcomeness in Sovia's eyes was absolute. Her displeasure with Ruby had piled up like a small mountain. She genuinely cherished and loved her handsome nephew Glades as though he were her own child. During the two years before Marcel was born, after she married into the Horne family, she often vied to look after Glades. Even though living under the same roof could cause friction and underlying disagreements with Mila Anderson, it never affected everyone's affection for Glades.