The sound of footsteps—measured, dignified—echoed into the hall as a small procession entered the restaurant.At the front walked a middle-aged man clad in a sleek black suit, his posture straight, his expression composed. A pair of black-rimmed glasses framed his intelligent eyes, lending him a scholarly charm that contrasted subtly with the quiet authority in his demeanor.It was none other than Winston Parker—the highly respected head of the Parker Family and one of the most influential figures in the Andrews Estate.Beside him walked Parker Jr., heir to the Parker lineage and eldest of the third generation. But unlike his father, Parker Jr. looked visibly tense. His jaw was set. His eyes flicked around the room with unease, as though something unresolved loomed in his mind.At the sight of them, Andrew rose quickly from his seat, a smile already spreading across his face.“Winston, you’re finally here!” he called, voice lifted with both relief and anticipation.Despite being younge

“If Joshua is real, then... does that make Mr. Parker Tristan?” Andrew asked, his voice filled with disbelief as he slowly turned to face Tristan.Winston responded flatly, “Of course. I’ve met Uncle Tristan many times. Why would I lie to you?”Hearing Winston's calm words, Andrew felt a wave of terror crash over him. His vision blurred, and a dizzying panic gripped him. Without Johnny’s quick intervention, reaching out to steady him, Andrew would have collapsed to the ground.“Mr. Parker, I—I’m so sorry. I truly thought you were an impostor. I spoke out of turn,” Andrew stammered, his breath shaky. His voice wavered as he took a step toward Tristan. "I didn’t mean to offend you."Tristan smiled gently, his expression unbothered. "It’s all right, no harm done."Even as he spoke those kind words, Andrew could feel his heart racing. He could hardly believe what was unfolding. He’d dared to question such a powerful figure, and the thought of it made him cringe. "I’m really sorry... I trul

Andrew couldn’t shake the feeling that today’s events were strange, almost surreal. If not for Winston’s words, he never would have believed that the powerful figures present were here because of Richard. It didn’t make sense. Richard, who had once been dismissed as a nobody, was suddenly at the center of all this attention. Andrew felt his mind racing with disbelief.But amidst his confusion, one thing was undeniable: today was a turning point for the Andrews family. While Andrew might have been the one to host the gathering, it wasn’t him who reaped the true rewards. No, the real beneficiaries of the day were Amelia’s mother, Lady Hamilton, and the entire Hamilton family.The business moguls and influential figures in the room were all well aware of the connection between Amelia, Richard, and Lady Hamilton. In this moment, they all saw an opportunity to secure themselves a powerful ally—Richard’s future mother-in-law. The realization hit Andrew like a freight train: this wasn’t just

As Richard made his way back into the restaurant, he was immediately swarmed by a crowd of people. The room seemed to shift as these individuals, who had put in a great deal of effort to be here today, eagerly surrounded him. The gifts they had brought for Andrew were worth millions, a display of wealth and status. They knew that in order to get their money’s worth, they had to make an impression on Richard. The stakes were high—if they didn’t make a connection with him, the lavish gifts might as well have been wasted.Richard, aware of the weight of the situation, didn’t dare lose his composure. With the Andrews Family watching, he couldn’t afford to be anything less than courteous. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the endless stream of conversations, and began to engage with them as best as he could.Meanwhile, Lilian, unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, approached Amelia with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Her voice was low but tinged with incredulity. "Ame

Rubin took a deep breath, his frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. With a stiff, deliberate motion, he turned around and walked toward Brooklyn, still trying to process the unexpected turn of events.“Andrew, your retirement banquet is winding down, and I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave now,” Brooklyn announced, his tone flat and devoid of warmth.Andrew, sensing Brooklyn’s distant mood, nodded but said nothing. He understood that his old friend wasn’t in the best of spirits. With a final nod, Brooklyn turned and made his way out of the restaurant, leaving Andrew no chance to ask him to stay.Once Brooklyn had left, Gabriel Andrews, feeling the weight of the situation, exchanged a few words with Andrew before quickly departing as well.In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the restaurant shifted, leaving only Amelia, Richard, and a few others behind. The energy had shifted—Andrew felt a new kind of curiosity gnawing at him as he turned toward R