202Serena’s sharp words hung in the air like a storm cloud, but Emily didn’t flinch. Instead, she stood, her posture graceful yet commanding, like a queen addressing her subjects. Her emerald green dress shimmered faintly under the restaurant’s lighting, and all eyes were drawn to her.“You’re right,” Emily said, her tone smooth and deliberate, “you don’t know who you’re dealing with.”Derek scoffed, though his unease was clear as he glanced at Serena. “And who exactly are you, sweetheart? Some arm candy Allvar picked up to feel better about himself?”Allvar stiffened, his brows furrowing, but Emily raised a hand to stop him before he could interject. Her lips curved into a confident smile. “Arm candy? That’s cute.” She stepped forward, her gaze sharp as it swept between Derek and Serena. “Allow me to introduce myself properly. Emily Chopra, CEO of Chopra Enterprises.”The name dropped like a bomb.Serena blinked, her mouth parting slightly as if she hadn’t heard correctly. Derek fr

204Their heated exchange was abruptly interrupted by a waiter, who approached with an apologetic yet firm demeanor. “I must ask you to keep the noise down. This is a respectable establishment, and we need to maintain a peaceful atmosphere.”Derek’s face, now a picture of barely restrained fury, turned towards the waiter, his fists clenched at his sides as if he were physically holding back his anger. “Fine,” he spat out through gritted teeth, the words venomous. “But we refuse to sit near these… individuals.” His eyes, sharp with disdain, flicked towards Emily and Allvar, a clear line drawn.Serena, echoing Derek’s sentiment with a venomous edge to her voice, added, “Absolutely. We’d rather not share our space with such… bastards.” Her lips curled around the word, her disdain palpable. She tossed her hair, an attempt to regain some semblance of control, though the slight tremble in her hands betrayed her composure.The waiter, taken aback by the harshness of their words, replied in a

206“Hey!! You're making a mistake here!” Serena called out in a harsh voice, her face scowling at the waiter, who turned slightly to acknowledge them once more.“Do you know who this man is?!” she demanded, pointing dramatically at Derek, who had the audacity to look smug. Emily could only roll her eyes at their theatrics.With newfound determination, Serena stomped toward their direction, intent on blocking their path. She crossed her arms and glared daggers at the trio. Pleased with the development, Derek swaggered forward to join her, standing beside her like a soldier in solidarity. He eyed the waiter and Allvar with disdain, sneering as if he owned the entire establishment.“Do you know who I am?!” Derek bellowed, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Do you realize what weight my family name carries? How dare you relegate me to the background just to attend to this nobody?!”He jabbed a finger toward Allvar, his contempt thinly veiled, while the waiter’s face twisted in confusion

208Allvar clenched his fists in anger, grinding his teeth at Derek's audacity. Serena scowled with flaming cheeks, rolling her eyes dismissively.Allvar remained composed, arching a brow at their reaction. "There seems to be an issue here that requires your assistance," Allvar replied calmly into the phone.On the other end of the line, the voice grew sharp with concern. "What sort of situation, Young Master? Are you alright?"Allvar couldn't help but let a small, wry smile flicker across his face, his eyes glinting with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "I've been accused of theft, of all things," he explained, his voice laced with disbelief. "The manager here refuses to believe the gold card is mine. He's threatening to call security on me."He went on and relayed all the events that had transpired, describing how he had been openly mocked and ridiculed by the manager.The butler listened attentively, a frown forming on his aged face. Such disrespect towards the young master wa

Derek’s face hardened as he tried to muster whatever defiance he could. "What do you want from us? Haven’t you done enough already?" His voice was laced with false bravado, but his shaking hands gave him away.Allvar stepped forward, his polished leather shoes clicking softly on the marble floor. His sharp, tailored suit made him look even more imposing. He tilted his head slightly, studying Derek as if he were an insignificant insect. "Done enough?" he repeated, his voice calm, dangerously so. "You mocked me, insulted me, and attempted to humiliate me in public. And now, you think you can walk away without facing the consequences?"Serena whimpered, clutching Derek’s arm tighter. "W-we didn’t know who you were! We didn’t mean—""Didn’t mean?" Allvar’s icy gaze locked onto hers, cutting her off mid-sentence. "What you mean is you didn’t think I was someone who could fight back. That’s always the problem with people like you. You respect power only when it’s shoved in your face."Emily