"It looks like the wine is affecting you."
Evenly's calm voice cut through the dining room.
"Servants."
She didn't even look at Naomi.
"Take Miss Naomi to a guest room and prepare a change of clothes. And replace this chair while you're at it."
Several servants immediately stepped forward.
One group escorted Naomi away despite her unwillingness, while another removed the chair she had been sitting on and replaced it with a new one.
Only after the chair was changed did Evenly sit down gracefully.
She pulled out a tissue and carefully wiped the spot on Thomas's hand where Naomi had touched him.
The entire dining room fell silent.
The humiliation was obvious.
"Don't you owe us an explanation?" Ian suddenly asked.
His expression was dark.
"Is the Quinn family trying to embarrass us?"
Everyone knew exactly why he was speaking up.
Naomi's intentions had been obvious from the moment she sat beside Thomas.
If she somehow managed to marry into the Quinn family, Ian would naturally benefit as well.
So even now, he was trying to salvage the situation.
Vicky rolled his eyes.
"Do we really need to embarrass you?"
He laughed lightly.
"Aren't you already doing that yourselves?"
"They say a stepmother is never a real mother."
He glanced toward Freya.
"Looking at how your stepchildren turned out, I think the saying is quite accurate."
Freya's smile immediately stiffened.
Before she could speak, Evenly smiled gently.
"Vicky."
Her tone sounded like a mother scolding her child.
Yet every word carried a knife.
"Naomi is probably just struggling because she's single and lonely."
She sighed sympathetically.
"Why doesn't Mr. Preston find her a suitable husband?"
Her gaze shifted toward Bram Preston.
"After all, you wouldn't want her behavior affecting Freya's son, would you?"
The dining room instantly became quiet.
A perfect attack.
Thomas's family had not argued once.
Maria had spilled wine the one who always strike the blow in a way it seems your fault playing nice while digging your grave.
Evenly had sent Naomi away she played the elegant mother and wife while adding fire the good cop.
Vicky had redirected the issue playing the bad cop and his young age to escape punishment.
And Thomas his role is simple deal the final blow.
And now the entire situation had somehow become connected to Bram Preston's remarriage and Freya's position in the family.
Freya's face turned ugly.
Bram's expression darkened.
Ian realized too late that the conversation had completely left his control.
"Enough!"
Bram slammed his hand on the table.
His voice echoed through the dining room.
"If you have a problem with the Quinn family, then leave."
His sharp gaze landed on Ian.
"And don't forget."
"You were the one who begged to attend this gathering."
"Instead of disciplining your sister, you're sitting here defending her disgraceful behavior."
"You should be ashamed."
The blame was instantly thrown onto Ian.
Ian's face flushed red.
His fists clenched beneath the table.
Humiliation.
Anger.
Embarrassment.
Every pair of eyes in the room seemed to be watching him.
Yet he couldn't refute a single word.
Because everyone present had seen what Naomi was trying to do.
And everyone knew it.
"What do you mean begging?" Divine snapped. "Did you forget that you were the ones who asked Ian to come? He's Grandma Quinn's best friend's son."
The moment the words left her mouth, a loud slap echoed through the dining hall.
Smack!
Ian had struck her across the face.
The entire room fell silent.
Grandpa Quinn and Grandma Quinn, who had been preparing to eat, immediately looked up. Nathan, Emily, Ava, Luis, Vera, Sophia, Diego, Thomas, and the rest of the family also turned their attention toward the commotion.
Even Grandma Quinn's siblings and their families, who had only been half-listening to the earlier drama, straightened in their seats.
"Shut your mouth, Divine!" Ian barked.
"How dare you speak to my father like that? Where are your manners?"
His face was dark with anger.
"Father is right. It is my fault."
Divine slowly turned her head and glared at him.
Spineless bastard.
The man spent every day acting like his father's obedient lapdog, desperately hoping Preston would one day hand him more shares and authority.
As if that old fox would ever willingly do that.
"You people really know how to disgrace a family," Micha said coldly from beside Freya.
"Enough."
Grandma Quinn's voice wasn't loud.
Yet the entire hall instantly quieted.
Her eyes swept across the room before stopping on Ian.
"We do not tolerate violence in my house."
Her expression remained calm.
"Especially not a man hitting a woman in front of me."
Ian's face paled.
"Grandma Quinn, I—"
"I wasn't done speaking."
He immediately shut his mouth.
Grandma Quinn turned toward the butler.
"Take him to the guest house."
The butler bowed.
"Yes, Madam."
With a wave of his hand, several servants approached Ian.
"Sir, this way."
Ian's expression darkened.
He clearly wanted to argue.
However, before he could speak, Divine suddenly stood up and grabbed Zoe and Liam.
"If he's going, we're going too."
Without waiting for a response, she followed the servants.
The children hurried after her.
The family of four was escorted out of the main residence and toward one of the guest houses located farther inside the estate.
Once they disappeared from sight, Freya sighed dramatically.
"These children are really troublesome sometimes."
She shook her head helplessly.
"No matter how much we try to correct Ian, he never learns."
"Hmm."
Grandma Quinn nodded thoughtfully.
"Since you're so worried about teaching him, you can stay in the guest house with him too."
Silence.
Freya froze.
Beside her, Bram Preston also froze.
Their expressions were priceless.
Then laughter erupted from Grandma Quinn's siblings' side of the family.
Even Rafael nearly choked on his drink.
Freya's smile became stiff.
"Madam Quinn, surely that won't be necessary—"
"It is."
Grandma Quinn smiled kindly.
"You seem very concerned about Ian's upbringing."
"Family should stay together."
"That way you'll have plenty of time to teach him."
The smile on Freya's face nearly cracked.
Micha opened his mouth, clearly intending to protest.
A single glance from Grandma Quinn shut him up immediately.
The old lady picked up her teacup.
"Wonderful."
She took a sip.
"Now can everyone stop embarrassing themselves and let me enjoy my meal in peace?"
No one dared argue.
Not a single person.
Everyone focused on their food.
They talked about business, family matters, current events, and developments within the country. Deliberately, they avoided topics that could spark more conflict. After all, everyone knew Grandma Quinn's patience had already reached its limit for the day.
The younger generation behaved.
The older generation behaved.
At least on the surface.
After lunch, the relatives from Grandma Quinn's side of the family, despite their complaints, were arranged to stay in the Fourth Hall, which was close to the Third Hall where guests usually stayed.
The Main House itself was divided into sections.
The First Hall was used for receiving visitors.
The Second Hall was reserved for the direct Quinn family.
The Third Hall housed important guests.
And the Fourth Hall was used for extended family members during large gatherings.
Meanwhile, inside Grandpa Quinn's study, only two people remained.
Grandpa Quinn.
And Nathan.
The old man sat comfortably on a sofa while sipping tea.
Nathan sat opposite him with one leg crossed over the other.
"So," Grandpa Quinn began, "how is the government project progressing?"
Nathan leaned back lazily.
"It's going well."
"The Voss Family and the Knight Family have been allies for years, especially the Knight Family. Their political influence is substantial, so the benefits naturally flowed toward them."
He paused.
"However, the Knight Family's main power base is in the Capital City."
"As for the Moore Family, their focus remains on the entertainment industry and real estate."
Nathan's lips curved slightly.
"Neither side has realized that I've already begun taking control of the energy project."
"By the time they notice, I'll already have secured complete control."
His voice remained calm.
"For now, I'll simply wait."
"Let the government and the other major players fight among themselves."
"The more they compete, the easier it becomes for me to absorb everything."
Grandpa Quinn clicked his tongue.
"Brat."
Nathan shrugged.
"The energy project had potential from the start You just didn't want to invest the time."
The old man laughed loudly.
"Sigh,If Old Man Moore heard that, he'd probably cough blood just yesterday we were discussing the project and neither of us saw much future in it."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Yet after seeing your plans, even I changed my mind."
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Relax."
Grandpa Quinn waved his hand dismissively.
"I won't touch your pie."
"I'd only be digging my own grave if I competed against you."
Nathan nodded in satisfaction.
A wise decision.
The old man suddenly grinned.
"Instead, I'm considering entering the virtual reality industry."
Nathan stared at him.
"Haven't you entered enough industries already? You keep creating new companies and dumping work onto everyone."
Grandpa Quinn laughed even harder.
"So what if I have?"
"A man needs hobbies."
Nathan's eyelid twitched.
Creating billion-dollar companies was apparently considered a hobby now.
The old man looked particularly pleased with himself.
"You should see the faces of your brothers."
"And their wives."
"And all those little leeches attached to the family."
His smile widened.
"The moment I launch another industry and it becomes as successful as the Quinn Group, they'll start losing sleep."
Nathan could already imagine it.
The endless meetings.
The need to please the old man
The greed.
The desperate attempts of other big wig to figure out Grandpa Quinn's next move.
The old man was practically entertaining himself with the idea.
"Greed is a funny thing."
Grandpa Quinn chuckled.
"The richer people become, the more terrified they are of missing out."
He lifted his teacup.
"And I enjoy watching them panic."
Nathan silently took a sip of tea.
As expected.
His father was still causing trouble even in retirement.
"They'd have a heart attack before you do if they found out how many of your companies you've donated away," Nathan said.
Just imagining the expressions on his brothers' faces was enough to make him want to laugh.
Even he had been shocked when he first learned the truth.
At the time, he genuinely thought his father had lost a few screws.
Then he discovered the old man had never had those screws in the first place.
The only reason Grandpa Quinn started some of those companies was because he was bored.
Sometimes he even bankrupted his own businesses simply because he lost interest.
Nathan still remembered reading a report about one of his father's companies collapsing overnight.
The reason?
Grandpa Quinn thought it would be entertaining.
A complete lunatic.
Nathan took a sip of tea.
A rich and successful lunatic.
Meanwhile, deep underground beneath the estate, Ava and Grandma Quinn were competing in a shooting range.
The training hall resembled a military testing facility more than a recreational range.
Virtual targets flashed across the massive room.
Some flew through the air at high speeds.
Some hid behind moving obstacles.
Others appeared for only fractions of a second before disappearing again.
Both women moved smoothly.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
Target after target exploded into digital fragments.
Ava reloaded her pistol without looking.
"It seems you're still as good as ever, Grandma."
Grandma Quinn snorted.
"Of course."
"I'm not like your grandfather."
She fired three shots in quick succession.
Three targets shattered instantly.
"With my personality, doesn't it make sense that I still look like I'm in my forties?"
She laughed loudly.
Ava glanced at her grandmother.
Honestly?
Forties was being generous.
"You look like you're in your early thirties."
Ava wasn't even exaggerating.
Her grandmother truly looked absurdly young.
Not cause of advance modern medicine.
Or advanced was advanced cosmetic technology or plastic surgery. Or the fact that humans now regularly lived to one hundred and eighty years old while hybrids could live beyond two hundred.
But most of it came down to one simple fact.
Grandma Quinn had won the genetic lottery.
Her genes were ridiculous.
Grandma Quinn immediately laughed.
"Flattery can take you far in life."
Then her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"So What about your crush?"
Ava fired another shot aflying target exploded.
"He's a feisty one."
Another shot.
"Interesting."
Bang.
"Annoying."
Bang.
"Very handsome."
Bang.
"Extremely handsome."
Ava paused.
"Like a painting."
Grandma Quinn burst into laughter.
The sound echoed throughout the shooting range.
"Good then take your time ,The chase is half the fun."
She lowered her gun.
"But once you're done chasing, snatch him."
Ava blinked.
Grandma Quinn continued casually.
"Don't forget to put a leash on him."
"That's how I keep your grandfather under control."
Ava nearly choked.
"Grandma!"
"What?"
Grandma Quinn looked innocent.
"Your grandfather originally wanted to marry someone else."
"So I stole him."
Ava stared.
Her grandmother looked extremely proud.
"I coaxed him."
"I spoiled him."
"I bullied him when necessary."
"Everything is fair in love and war."
Grandma Quinn pointed at Ava with her gun.
"Remember this."
"Know when to be sweet."
"Know when to be dominant."
Ava couldn't stop herself from laughing.
No wonder Grandpa Quinn acted the way he did.
This woman was terrifying.
The competition continued.
Elsewhere in the estate, Emily was playing chess against Diego and Thomas.
The two brothers had approached her hoping to discuss cooperation and business opportunities.
Unfortunately for them—
Their opponent was Emily.
The famous demoness of the Quinn Family.
A troublemaker.
A drama queen.
A menace to society.
And an absolute monster in business.
The Haley Family had only reached its current status because Emily had dragged it upward with her own hands it can rival their father business.
The way she dealt with her blood relatives was so ruthless that even experienced businessmen felt chills.
Neither Diego nor Thomas understood what their younger brother saw in her.
Was it her beauty?
Her personality?
Her fake innocent act?
The brothers honestly had no idea.
Nathan apparently loved every second of it.
Which made him almost as crazy as his wife.
In another sitting room, Vera, Faith, and Evenly were drinking tea together.
For once, no one was arguing.
At least not openly.
Meanwhile, Winter and Damien were having their own battle.
"You should argue with your father!"
Damien said."Why are you letting him push you out?"
Winter crossed her arms.
"And why are you so angry?"
Damien opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Then opened it again.
Winter narrowed her eyes.
"Unless...You wanted to use me to become heir of your family, didn't you?"
Damien immediately looked away.
Winter stared.
Damien stared at the wall.
The wall suddenly became very interesting.
Winter's lips twitched.
Damien nearly choked.
"That's not—"
Winter raised an eyebrow.
Damien immediately regretted opening his mouth.
Elsewhere.....
"Are you serious about what you just said?"
A middle-aged man stood on the balcony of his modest house, phone pressed to his ear.
Through the glass doors behind him, his family could be seen enjoying their Unity Holiday dinner.
"Of course, Uncle. Why would I lie to you?" Drew replied confidently.
"The mysterious songwriter Ghost, who's been making all that money? It's Prim."Drew scoffed."That bastard always acts humble and kind. Who would've thought he was hiding a music talent like that?"
His uncle's eyes widened.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm very sure."
Drew leaned back in his chair.
"I copied everything from his USB drive.Every song. Every file."His smile widened."I even deleted the drafts from his computer and I already found a buyer."
"How much?" his uncle asked eagerly.
"Two million KSB (Z₮)."
His uncle nearly stopped breathing.
That was roughly eight hundred and eighty thousand Zens (§) as it is 44 thousand if you take it to the world wide currency CU Dollar V$.Not a small amount by any means.
"And that's not all."
Drew's excitement grew.
"The buyer wants me to join his music label."
"What?"his uncle ask
"Mm."
Drew nodded proudly despite being on the phone."The guy is worth over five hundred million Zens and apparently he's bringing a friend."