"Unhand her. NOW!" Elior's voice cut through the hall like a whip, sharp and commanding as he strode into the room slowly, with the commanding presence of a lion reclaiming his den.
The guards, terrified, dropped Liliane as though burned. She stumbled back to her feet and ran straight into Elior's arms, sobbing into his chest.
"Wow! He's really mad, look at his eyes" Louisa muttered.
Elior wrapped a firm arm around her waist, steadying her. His gaze swept the hall coldly.
"Just what exactly is your problem with her? Huh? Is your humanity really worth less than money?" Elior shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. "Would ten billion dollars be enough for you to treat my wife like a human she is, then?" He continued.
A beat of silence then a few chuckles rippled across the family members."Ha! I swear he's crazier than I thought." "Ten billion? Even filthy beggars now daydream in billions?" "She's practically hugging a lunatic. In public. This is pathetic."
Then Lord Whitmore rose, slamming his leg boot on the marble floor. "Liliane! This is outrageous! You dare bring a madman to embarrass me at my own birthday banquet?"
Louisa crossed her arms with a mock sigh. "She still doesn't learn, does she?"
Whitmore pointed furiously. "Guards! Get him out of here. And drag Liliane back to her senses!"
The guards rushed toward Elior but he didn't bulge. He slowly unwrapped Liliane from his arms.
And the moment they got close—CRACK! Elior's fist slammed into the first guard's chest. The man dropped like a sack.
SWIPE. The next had his wrist twisted and body slammed against a marble pillar.
A third swung a baton, but Elior ducked and kicked him square in the gut, sending him crashing into the dessert table.
In less than ten seconds, three armed guards were writhing on the ground. Gasps erupted.
"What the hell?!" "He's not just back—he's trained." "Is he… really the same Elior?"
Liliane stared, frozen. Then rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his wrist from behind. Her voice cracked. "Elior… are you really back?"
He gently brought her hand to his chest, holding it there with a steady warmth. "Yes, baby. I'm back." He muttered.
Silence swept through the hall. Even the air stilled. Then whispers began again—
"That's Elior Crestfall, isn't it?" "I wonder if he'd reclaim his power as the prodigal heir.."
And then Louisa stepped forward, arms folded, her smirk venomous. "So what if your brain finally rebooted?" You may have your sanity, Elior, but your honor is long gone." Her voice echoed with spite.
"You were expelled and disowned by your own family. The world watched you fall. And while you were groveling in the dirt, Mr. Darian took your place. He's the new heir of Crestfall now—not you." She continued, then leaned closer. "And you? You're still just a broke and forgotten beggar… clinging to a woman as filthy as you."
The crowd murmured, torn between awe and cruelty. Elior's jaw clenched, then his voice thundered across the hall.
"I said ENOUGH!." The force of it silenced the entire room. Even Louisa flinched for a second.
"Pfft… again with the drama." She rolled her eyes, flipping her hair. "Save your bark for who cares. It's meaningless here."
Elior stepped forward, shielding Liliane ever so slightly. "This is a family. And every member deserves to be treated with love and respect."
He then looked directly at Lord Whitmore. "If there's anything actually important to be discussed today… we're all ears, father-in-law."
A visible twitch crossed Lord Whitmore's cheek. "Ah... well, since you're both here already, have a seat." He said, then cleared his throat before he continued, "there's something critical I must share."
Elior gently guided Liliane to a nearby chair. She gripped his arm tightly, still stunned by the sudden shift in the room's energy.
Louisa's smile twisted into a bitter scowl as she crossed her legs, clearly annoyed.
Lord Whitmore stood, hands behind his back. "There's a business empire known as Virelux Group—one of the most powerful conglomerates in the world." He said as he glanced around the room, eyes sharp.
"For three years, they've dominated global markets being untouchable… and unattainable." He continued as everyone listened raptly. "But five hours ago, they quietly announced a limited investment partnership window, open only to high-tier firms in our land of Valemont."
Gasps and murmurs echoed. "For real?" someone whispered. "That's huge," another said.
Lord Whitmore's tone turned desperate, "every major corporation is already scrambling to secure a deal. Whitmore Banking, our cornerstone, is falling behind. Without that partnership, we could lose decades of dominance."
Elior smirked faintly, barely audible as he murmured to himself, "so you all want a slice of my empire. How poetic."
He leaned forward, voice louder now. "Huh. It doesn't look like Whitmore Banking stands a chance then, does it?"
Lord Whitmore ignored the sting, sitting up straighter, tension and desperation coiled in his jaw. "Whoever among you can successfully secure that investment from Virelux Group will be granted 10% of the Whitmore family shares—and the position of Chief Executive Officer across all companies under our name."
The room exploded in gasps. "What?! A whole ten percent?!" One murmured. "CEO? That's insane!" Another echoed.
Louisa nearly choked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Grandpa… are you serious right now? That includes ownership of all Whitmore-affiliated enterprises. Real estate. Tech. Banking. Everything!"
Lord Whitmore nodded gravely. "This is bigger than pride or position. If we don't act, Whitmore's legacy will vanish under the shadows of giants."
Then Louisa's lips curled into a triumphant smile. She rose, tossing her hair back with smug confidence. "Well then… guess you can all relax." She said, then turned to the room with a gleam in her eyes. "Securing that investment won't be a problem. My boyfriend, Mr. Frank, has deep connections—he practically breathes influence. And I'm sure he would know someone inside Virelux."
She then glanced at Liliane with smug contempt. "So go ahead, congratulate your next CEO in advance."
The room buzzed again, some impressed, others clearly uneasy. But Elior leaned back, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He murmured under his breath—just loud enough for those near him to hear:
"Try and see how easy it is."
Lord Whitmore's eyes gleamed. "Louisa… If you secure that investment, I'll name you the next heir of the Whitmore family. You'll inherit everything."
A buzz shot through the hall like lightning. "She'll inherit the family?!" "Just for one deal?" "That's unprecedented!"
Suddenly, Elior stood up, fuming. "That's outrageous!" he snapped. "How can the elder of a family be so one-sided? You're handing everything to Louisa like the rest are invisible!"
Liliane touched his arm gently, urging him to sit back down. But Elior wasn't finished. "And what about my wife, Liliane? What if she pulls it off?" He turned to face the room. "Or is her name already too dirty in this house to be acknowledged?"
The crowd broke into mocking laughter. "Her?" "This isn't child's play—we're talking about a huge business empire!" "Please, someone wake this man up!"
Even Preston chuckled, shaking his head. "How embarrassing," he muttered. "Letting a madman just recovering speak in a serious meeting."
Elior's eyes darkened, but he stayed silent.
Lord Whitmore raised a hand to quiet the hall. "Very well," he said. "If—by some miracle—Liliane manages to secure the investment, I will return the full 80% of her company's withheld dividends over the past five years. And…" He paused. "…I'll award her the promised 10% family shares."
Another wave of gasps erupted. "That's worth billions…" "He can't be serious!" "To Liliane??"
But just as a flicker of hope appeared in Liliane's eyes, Lord Whitmore's voice rang out again louder and harsher:
"BUT… there's one more condition."
The entire hall fell silent and Elior's gaze narrowed. "And what's the precondition?" He asked calmly.
Lord Whitmore took a breath, his words landing like stones. "She must also recover the long-overdue debts owed to our family by the Casino Bully Syndicate."
A beat of silence, then the hall erupted. "That's suicide!" "Even the neighboring empires don't cross them." "Those thugs would eat her alive!"
Everyone knew the Casino Bully—a brutal syndicate infamous for violent extortions, terrorizing regions with their battalions of armed goons.
Louisa blinked, stunned… then suddenly laughed loudly and heartily. "You can just say you want her dead, Grandpa. That hit right! That's why I love you. You too never disappoint."
The room stared, waiting to see Elior's reaction and then he stood up, pulled Liliane to her feet, and turned her to face him.
"Say it," he said, voice calm but burning with resolve. "Say you accept."
Their eyes locked. Liliane could see the certainty in his gaze now. She swallowed hard, then lifted her chin. "I accept the challenge!" Her voice rang through the hall like a bell. "I will secure the investment from Virelux Group… and recover the debt from the Casino Bully!"
Silence fell. Some mouths hung open while others scoffed in disbelief.
But Elior nodded, his lips curving into a confident smile. "Now, let's see who really should be congratulated in advance."