Marielle's question left the entire dining table unusually quiet. Kael remained seated without saying anything, his attention fixed on the food in front of him while Tyler continued looking at him with obvious disbelief.Darius, however, didn't seem bothered by the question. He picked up his fork, took another bite of his meal, and placed it down before looking around the table."Kael may be from the countryside, Marielle, but that doesn't mean he's an ordinary countryside boy.""What do you mean by that, Dad?" Tyler frowned immediately."Kael's grandfather is a billionaire, and more importantly, he's one of the people who helped make this family what it is today."Marielle's expression changed instantly. "A countryside billionaire?"She couldn't hide the disbelief in her voice."Darius, are you actually being serious right now? How can someone be a billionaire and still live in the countryside? If he really has that kind of wealth, wouldn't he have businesses all over the city?"Tyle

A heavy, suffocating stillness settled over the dining table. Marielle’s expression turned utterly rigid, unable to fire back a single word. Deep down, she knew Darius was telling the truth. Valecrest Biochemistry had grown into a multi-billion-dollar empire, and despite their bitter divorce, Darius had never cut them off. He continuously sent massive sums of money to support both Marielle and Tyler, ensuring they maintained their opulent high-society lifestyle. Noticing how sour the atmosphere had become, Kael quietly set down his silver utensils, cleared his throat, and spoke up in an easygoing tone. "I don't think continuing this conversation is going to help anyone. If we keep digging into the past, none of this food is going to taste good anymore. Let's just focus on eating." While Kael’s face remained completely calm, his mind was racing with questions. He had never seen his dad before. Learning that Julian Danaru was a co-founder of what became Valecrest Biochemistry and th

Kael looked around the table as the argument continued, then slowly placed his utensils down. He had no intention of becoming the reason a family gathering turned into another battlefield, especially when Elowen herself was clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken.“Mr. Valecrest, thank you for the offer, but I don't think this is appropriate. Elowen should marry whoever she wants, and I'll do whatever I want with my life. I don't think we're meant for each other.”Marielle immediately scoffed.“Oh, don't make it sound as though some wonderful offer was presented to you and you nobly rejected it. Even if she were compatible with you, you wouldn't be capable of taking care of my daughter. Do you even realize she's older than you?”“Marielle,” Darius interrupted, his expression hardening. “Years ago, I told my friend Julian that if the child his wife gave birth to was a boy, then once Elowen recovered and the children were old enough, I would consider having t

Darius quickly shook his head, a look of solemn regret settling over his face."If that argument was the exact reason he left, I really don't know," Darius admitted softly. "When I asked your grandfather about it the next day, all he told me was that your dad had made his own decisions, and he had made his. From that moment on, I was strictly forbidden from mentioning Julian's name, and I was told not to go looking for him.”Darius let out a heavy sigh, looking down at his hands. "I didn't try to stop Julian when he walked out of the hospital that night. I genuinely thought he was just overwhelmed with grief and anger because your mother had just passed away. It seemed completely natural that he was stepping outside to clear his head or grieve in private. Giving him space felt like the sensible, respectful thing to do at the time... I had no idea that would be the last time I would ever see my best friend.”Darius looked up, his eyes filled with sorrow. "To this day, I feel like your

"Whatever your dad and I argued over shouldn't be your business, Kael," Midas said, his tone turning strict through the speaker. "I've told you several times to stop inquiring about all of these matters because it isn't as you see it. Stop asking, and stop trying to search. You should listen to me when I speak.”Hearing his grandfather's dismissive words only flared Kael's anger even more. He was searching for the truth about his own flesh and blood, yet the one person who held the answers was actively sealing them away.Kael's grip tightened around his phone, his voice laced with cold frustration. "So, Grandpa, I know absolutely nothing about my mother. And now, when I try to find out something about my father, you are doing everything you can to hide it from me! What is the real story here? What did my father do? And where have you sent him that his details can't even be found in any database? Please... just release him for me at least. It's been twenty-three years!”On the other en