The man did not answer Reginald. He just shot Liam a look and then rushed out of the hall with his entourage."I'm the one who sent this gift for Celena!"Liam broke through the murmur, causing all eyes to turn to him."You sent this?" Reginald's voice was laced with disbelief.His face quickly soured, and he glared at Liam. "Let's be real! A gift like this comes from someone with deep pockets or a fancy title! We all know who you are. Stop pretending this lavish present is from you."The rest of the Stone family chimed in with their own jeers, "He has the nerve to say he sent this gift!""Ha ha ha, right! Just wait. He'll be red-faced in ten days!""Poor Celena, saddled with such a dud!"Then, a woman in her forties called out to Celena with fake concern, "Listen, Celena! I'm not trying to be harsh, but we introduced you to so many great guys, and you turned them down! Now, you're with this. What were you thinking?"Celena, hearing the mockery and insults, tugged at Liam's ar

Malcolm lingered with a question on his mind, his hand still dabbing at a sweaty forehead."What's on your mind?" Liam inquired."Commander-in-Chief! In three days, I've arranged a gathering for the Drunham City elite to celebrate our new alliance with the Walker family's legacy and our successful partnerships. I have here a few exclusive invites and would be honored if you and your lady would join us."Liam skimmed over the embossed invitation in his grasp and remarked, "Just set it down here. I'll attend when I find the time.""Understood!"Malcolm laid the invitation on the table, snapped to attention with a salute, and exited Jade Manor.Only after Malcolm had stepped through the grand gates of the manor and settled into his car did the weight on his shoulders begin to fade, his back clammy from sweat. The thought of how many sought an audience with the elusive King Pendragon. Here he was, holding an invite to dine with the man himself, stirred a quiet pride within him.Mean

"And who's to say you're not still hung up on that girl, your own daughter, no less! By the way, did you sort out the meeting with Mr. Lynch for tomorrow? Can Qemal and Cheryl attend?" Sherah inquired.Yafe sighed, his head drooping with resignation. "Dad's made up his mind. Tomorrow, my brother, Sawyer, and I will head out. Cheryl's tagging along with Mr. Abbott, while Qemal will just stay home and rest." "What? Qemal isn't going? No way! He's our only son. He can't miss out on something this big!" Sherah shot up in alarm. She sprang to her feet, jabbing a finger at Yafe. "You've got to care more about your son, Yafe! Qemal's your boy, and your father's always so distant to him. You need to stand up for him!" Yafe felt trapped but kept nodding. "I get it, but it's a big deal, and his call is final. Besides, Qemal's hand is pretty banged up. He's better off resting. There'll be other chances." Sherah backed off, knowing that she had made her point. Yafe was usually a pushover fo

The ruckus drew the crowd's attention, and soon, all eyes were on Liam and Celena, who had arrived without a gift in hand. The whispers turned into outright jeers."Liam and Celena actually showed up! Who would've thought? Where'd they find the guts?""They've got some nerve, alright, showing up empty-handed like that!""Do they even have the money for a decent gift? Everyone here's toting around something pricey. If they can't even spring for a proper present, who in their right mind would partner up with them?""Ha! Maybe they brought along some magic cream for sore legs!"That last jab sent the room into fits of laughter.The debacle from Reginald's birthday party the day before was the talk of the town. Liam and Celena had made quite the spectacle, with Liam insisting that Celena be taken back to the Stone family.Under the weight of so many sneering glances, Celena's skin crawled with discomfort. She turned stiff, her body quivering ever so slightly.Holding back the impul

Luis gave Wasyl a once-over before his gaze landed on the ornate brocade box. His eyes flashed with disdain and anger as he snapped, "Abbott family, Butler family, Lewis family, do you think Mr. Lynch is someone you can manipulate with your little schemes? Guards, take him away and look into his background!"Before Wasyl could react, a bodyguard lunged forward, landing a punch that sent him sprawling to the ground. The gift box tumbled out of his hands, coming to rest by Cheryl's trembling feet."Ahh! I didn't... I was just..." Wasyl tried to scramble up to explain, but another punch slammed him back down, pinning him to the floor.Wasyl did not dare to fight back. Tears streamed down his face as he begged, "Please, no more! I won't go in... Just let me go. I won't ever try something like this again... I'm begging you, have mercy!"Cheryl stood frozen in shock, her legs shaking so much she could barely stand. Yafe and his companions stood frozen, their minds racing. Meanwhile, Luis