Despite all his smugness, Rubin’s so-called connections were still a far cry from those that Amelia or her family could claim—yet that didn’t stop him from speaking with that same arrogant confidence.At the head table, Andrew stood motionless, his expression darkening by the second. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes glimmered with a simmering fury.The moment he saw Mr. Stephen enter—not for him, but for Brooklyn—his chest tightened. It wasn’t just an insult. It was humiliation.He’s not even here for me…Andrew could feel the shame clawing at him. This was supposed to be his day.Rubin noticed, of course. His smirk widened like a blade.“Haha…”He chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying the sight of Andrew’s unraveling composure.Amelia, Angela, and the others sat quietly, their expressions muted by embarrassment. They wanted to object, to push back against Rubin’s incessant jabs—but they couldn’t. Not today.Not with the evidence stacked so plainly around them.More and more gu

The Andrews family stiffened almost in unison, the moment Lewis casually mentioned he had brought a gift—for Andrew.The word gift struck the room like a wrong note in a quiet symphony. Heads turned. Eyebrows furrowed. A murmur rippled through the elegantly dressed crowd at Symphony Studio, the grand chandeliers casting a golden glow over the uneasy stillness.To anyone else, it might have sounded generous, thoughtful even. But to the Andrews family, the implications curled cold fingers around their hearts.Lewis didn’t give gifts. He delivered threats. Dressed them up, maybe—but they were threats all the same.And though Lewis had explained his presence in the most measured tone, the air remained laced with suspicion. No one believed for a second that he had come just to offer congratulations.Andrew's jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed. Even standing tall in his finely tailored suit, he looked like a man preparing for battle, not a celebration.Amelia instinctively stepped closer to Ri

“This is the Mr. Richard you’re talking about?” Lewis didn’t even blink. “That’s correct. Now stop interrupting.” Then, astonishingly, Lewis reached out and gave Johnny a light shove away. The gesture wasn’t aggressive. Just disrespectful. Johnny stood there for a moment, stunned into silence. Then he turned to go, unsure of how to respond without escalating the situation in full view of guests. But he didn’t get far. Because another voice—completely unexpected—rang out behind him. “Mr. Richard! I’ve been looking for you!” The crowd parted slightly as a man in a well-cut brown suit rushed forward, breathing heavily, eyes bright with recognition. Johnny turned, dumbfounded. “Joshua Wallace?” He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The general manager of Nex Investment Company—one of the most influential figures in the local business sphere—was running toward Richard like an excited schoolboy. And Nex had no known ties to the Andrews family. He wasn’t here for Andrew. He wa

Now that the gift box had been placed in Andrew’s hands and the eyes of nearly everyone in Symphony Studio were locked on him, a deep sense of dread began to gnaw at the pit of his stomach.What if this is something cheap? Something ordinary? Something from a sidewalk vendor?If he opened the box and the contents were unimpressive—or worse, insulting—he would be humiliated in front of the most prominent figures in his circle. His pride, his reputation, and his control over the event would all collapse at once.Someone from the crowd called out, with a tone dipped in mock-enthusiasm: “Come on, Mr. Sean, the CEO of Nex Investment Company is a real powerhouse. I’m sure his gift won’t disappoint! Let’s open it and admire his generosity!”More voices chimed in after that—some eager, some curious, but most of them carried a smirk. It wasn’t celebration—it was bloodlust.Brooklyn and Gabriel exchanged tired, knowing glances. The group fueling the commotion weren’t just curious bystanders—they

Amelia blinked her wide, luminous eyes, her brows knit with quiet confusion. “Why else would I be here?”Her voice was soft, innocent almost, but layered beneath it was a fragile tension.Richard hesitated for a beat. “No, it’s nothing,” he said quickly, forcing a tight smile as he hung up the call with Titus. His thumb lingered a little too long on the screen, as if cutting the line had also cut off a thread of control.Amelia tilted her head slightly, watching him. Her instincts whispered there was more to that call than he was letting on. But she didn’t push.Instead, her voice brightened a little. “Richard… if you’re free right now, come with me somewhere. Neither of us have a reason to stay at Grandpa’s banquet anymore. So why not escape for a bit? Have some fun. Just the two of us.”Her suggestion was casual on the surface, but the undercurrent of her words was deliberate. She wasn’t ready to let him walk off into isolation—not tonight.Richard gave her a puzzled glance. “Don’t y