Julia looked calmly at Victoria without the slightest hint of anger on her face. Instead, she let out a quiet sigh before speaking in a composed voice. "I'm not here for anything. I only came to pay my respects to Grandma and wish her a happy birthday. As for me, I'm doing perfectly fine on my own. Whatever happens in this family from now on is truly none of my business."Mr. Alfred, who had remained silent all this time, finally raised his head. His expression was stern as he looked directly at Julia. "We won't accept your gift, so pack it up and leave. Unless you're willing to stop seeing that riffraff you're so determined to stay with, there's nothing you can do to earn your way back into this family. As long as you're with that useless man, don't expect us to acknowledge you."Julia quietly lowered her eyes. She didn't argue or defend herself. Instead, she gently picked up the gift box from the table, holding it carefully in both hands.Just then, Steve stepped forward with a smug

Eden frowned the moment he heard Marcus' words. For a brief second, he wondered why Marcus had spoken with such confidence. The sentence echoed in his mind. But only for a moment. Soon, he dismissed it with a cold scoff. "What a joke," he thought to himself. "He's just trying to sound intimidating because he has nothing else." Standing beside him, Victoria also laughed. "Quit bluffing already," she said mockingly. "You never get tired of making empty threats. Nothing is going to happen to him. Instead, just watch carefully and see how high we'll rise from today onward." Marcus merely smiled without bothering to respond. At that moment, the grand entrance doors slowly opened once again. The lively conversations inside the banquet hall gradually came to a stop. Everyone instinctively turned toward the entrance. Walking in front was Mr. Zed, the Minister of Finance himself. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that reflected both dignity and authority. His calm smil

Every guest in the banquet hall instinctively turned toward the entrance. The two men in black suits walked with measured steps, carefully supporting the large object covered by an elegant golden cloth. Judging from its shape, it was rectangular, but beyond that, no one could tell what it actually was. Curious whispers immediately spread throughout the hall. "Who are they?" "What's under that cloth?" Since no one recognized either of the men, everyone could only stand quietly and watch as they made their way across the hall. Finally, they stopped directly in front of Marcus. One of them bowed respectfully before saying, "Mr. Marcus, we're sorry for arriving late. Something unexpected came up on the way." Marcus simply nodded. "It's fine." The moment everyone heard those words, another wave of whispers erupted. "So... it really a gift?" "He actually prepared something?" "I thought he was bluffing." Victoria's expression froze. Her body stiffened as an unpleasant feeling ros

Sweedy, who had already decided that Victoria needed to learn a lesson, turned toward her with a calm but firm expression. "As everyone can clearly see," she said, "Mr. Marcus' gift isn't just the most meaningful one here. It's also the most expensive. He won the bet fairly. So... kneel and apologize." Victoria's expression stiffened. She opened her mouth and said, "But—" Before she could continue, Mr. Zed interrupted her. His face had become noticeably serious. "You'd better do as you promised," he said firmly. "A person's word is worth more than anything. If you refuse, then I will have you escorted out of my daughter's birthday banquet." Victoria's face instantly turned pale. She subconsciously looked toward Eden. Eden leaned closer and whispered through gritted teeth, "Do it. We still need Mr. Zed to announce our collaboration today. Don't offend him over something like this." Victoria bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled. Her fists clenched tightly. She wanted to refus

Victoria frowned deeply and stepped protectively in front of Eden. "Not Eden?" she said angrily. "What nonsense are you talking about? He is Eden. Everyone here knows him. Stop making ridiculous accusations." Eden immediately nodded and forced out a calm smile. "Exactly," he said. "I am Eden Derek. Search my name anywhere on the internet and you'll find my company, my interviews, my achievements. Everything proves who I am." The lead officer let out a cold scoff. "Well played." He raised his hand slightly. The officers standing behind him immediately stepped aside in perfect unison, creating a clear path. Everyone instinctively looked toward the opening. A young woman slowly walked forward. She had long blonde hair tied neatly into a ponytail. Her delicate face was beautiful, but it was painfully obvious she hadn't been treated well. Her cheeks were slightly sunken, her pale skin lacked color, and dark circles rested beneath her eyes. Even though she had changed into clean c