At the same time, Leo Nafplion, red-faced and emboldened by alcohol, opened his mouth to unleash another torrent of abuse, only to stop abruptly.
The crowd suddenly parted down the center of the hall.
Heavy, measured footsteps echoed against the marble floor as Zoren Lin strode forward, his earlier warmth completely gone. His expression was stern, eyes sharp with unmistakable authority.
Behind him followed several bodyguards, their presence alone enough to chill the surrounding air.
The moment Zoren arrived, the atmosphere shifted.
Even Leo, who had been on the verge of another outburst, faltered mid-breath.
Zoren's gaze swept over the scene, the tense faces, the tightly drawn expressions, the unmistakable center of conflict, before finally settling on Leo Nafplion.
His voice, when he spoke, was cold and measured.
"Who allowed you," Zoren Lin asked slowly, "to cause such a disgrace at my birthday banquet?"
The question hung in the air like a guillotine blade.
Before arriving, Zoren had already been briefed on the situation in detail. In fact, his younger brother had personally rushed over to "report" the incident, embellishments and all.
Zoren had been half-tempted to scold him on the spot for his stupidity, inviting troublesome people without thinking, but for now, containing the situation took priority.
Leo restrained himself for barely a moment.
The instant he realized Zoren was not on his side, he erupted, pouring out his so-called grievances. It never once occurred to him that he might be at fault; instead, he placed the entirety of the blame squarely on Yeri, hurling insults and curses with reckless abandon.
As Leo's mouth grew more venomous, Zoren didn't know whether he should be angry or afraid. His gaze flicked instinctively toward Tristan, who merely raised an eyebrow at him.
Thank heavens Shin Keir isn't there, with his notoriously unreasonable temperament, he would undoubtedly hold a lifelong grudge against the Lin family for allowing his fiancée to be humiliated at their banquet.
Ignoring Leo's incoherent ranting, Zoren lifted his hand decisively.
The bodyguards immediately moved in, seizing Leo by the arms. Leo thrashed violently, his curses growing louder and more unhinged as he was dragged away.
Zoren turned to the crowd, his eyes sweeping over the stunned faces before he spoke in a clear, authoritative voice.
"Yeri Zhi is a guest I personally invited," he stated firmly. "Her mother's cousin married into the Lin family. Naturally, I regard her as my younger sister. There is no such thing as her behaving unscrupulously by attending tonight's event, and I have never heard of her being engaged to Leo Nafplion."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I hope this matter ends here and remains within these walls."
Venice bit down hard on her lower lip, her hand curling into a tight fist, nails digging cruelly into her own palm.
Why was it always Yeri?
From the moment Zoren Lin had publicly declared Yeri as a "younger sister" and shielded her without hesitation, Venice's resentment fermented into something poisonous.
Meanwhile, everyone understood it perfectly. It was both reassurance and warning.
Although the Lin family was not counted among the Four Noble Houses, within the first-tier families they held immense influence and wealth. And Zoren Lin, as the heir, was not someone to offend lightly.
Believing the incident to be finally over, some guests began to disperse, the tension slowly ebbing when a shrill scream pierced the air.
Yeri looked up just in time to see Leo break free from the bodyguards, charging back like a maddened bull.
From one of the nearby tables, he snatched a dinner knife and began wildly slashing the air.
Panic exploded instantly. Guests screamed, chairs toppled, and people surged in all directions, desperate to flee.
The once-elegant banquet descended into chaos.
Yeri did not hesitate. She also turned and ran with the crowd toward the back garden, pushed forward by the tide of bodies.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp tug on her arm.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Venice, who seized the opportunity while Yeri was distracted, clinging tightly to her arm under the guise of panic.
It didn't take long for Yeri to understand Venice's intentions, especially as they were dragged closer and closer to the pond.
She wants to use the chaos to push her in. It seemed Venice's pregnancy, whoever the father might be, had emboldened her, stripping away the last traces of restraint she once possessed.
"I wonder if you'll still be able to flaunt yourself once everyone sees your true, ugly face," Venice whispered in a low, venomous voice as she forcefully dragged Yeri toward the pond's edge.
Despite being pregnant, Venice was confident. Yeri had been sickly for most of her life, there was no way she could overpower her.
Yet instead of panic, Venice met Yeri's eyes and saw a mocking glint flash within them.
"Venice," Yeri said calmly, "it seems you've been watching too many television dramas. Since you're so eager to experience falling into the pond, then I'll fulfill your wish."
In one swift motion, Yeri tightened her grip, wrapping an arm firmly around Venice's waist.
Venice's eyes widened in shock.
Before she could scream or muster the strength to pull away, the relentless push of the fleeing crowd behind them crushed forward. Her footing faltered and with a loud splash, the two of them toppled into the pond together.
In fact, they were not the only ones. In the chaos, several panicked guests were shoved or lost their balance and tumbled in as well.
Fortunately, the pond was not deep, and the weather was far from cold.
"Ahhh!" Venice screamed suddenly, thrashing violently in the pond. "Yeri Zhi, are you insane?! I'm pregnant!"
Yeri could not be bothered to dignify her theatrics with a response.
Seizing the moment when another guest stumbled into the water beside them, splashing wildly, Yeri deliberately pretended to lose her balance. Her hand shot out instinctively, accidentally grabbing Venice by the head and in the chaos, she struck her across the face with an open palm.
Splash!
"Ahhh! Someone- someone help me!" Venice shrieked frantically, her voice sharp with panic.
Yeri sneered inwardly. The water barely reached their shoulders. What was she acting hysterical for?
From the corner of her eye, Yeri spotted Leo Nafplion in the distance, already fully restrained by multiple bodyguards that he had not even managed to reach the garden.
The chaos had spiraled so violently only because this gathering consisted of elites and powerful figures, women unused to danger shrieked at the slightest provocation, while others prioritized their own safety, pushing and fleeing without restraint.
Eventually, order was restored. Guests were pulled out of the pond one by one, including Yeri and Venice.
Cries, curses, and hysterical complaints filled the air, yet fortunately, no one had suffered serious injury.
Even so, the incident placed the Lin family in an extremely awkward position. And the Nafplion family fared far worse.
Master and Madam Nafplion only learned of the catastrophe their son had caused when it was already too late.
From the dispersing crowd, Yeri saw Madam Nafplion collapse the moment she spotted her precious son pinned to the ground by several bodyguards.
As for Master Nafplion, his face twisted as though he had swallowed something foul. He did not linger for even a second longer, just dropping a single, icy sentence: "Leo Nafplion is no longer a member of the Nafplion family. Do whatever you wish."
Then he turned and fled the scene.
Amid the lingering chaos of the back garden, the guests who had just learned of this development fell into stunned silence.
The murmurs inside the grand banquet hall shifted abruptly, as if someone had plucked an invisible string.
One by one, heads turned toward the entrance.
Shin Keir stood beneath the chandelier's fractured glow, tall and immovable, his presence slicing cleanly through the gilded noise of laughter and polite conversation.
His suit was sharply tailored, shoulders broad, posture relaxed in a way that only made him more dangerous. The lights traced the hard lines of his face, cold, elegant, unforgiving.
The room reacted instinctively, those unfortunate enough to meet his gaze stiffened unconsciously; some bewildered, while a few stared openly, dumbfounded by the sheer gravity he carried without effort.
Power clung to him like a second skin.
His sharp gaze swept across the crowd with slow, deliberate precision. There was no warmth in his eyes, only calculation. It was as if he were searching for something specific, someone specific.
Meanwhile, those who had navigated the business world long enough and those well-versed in the exhausting art of social survival recovered quickly.
Years of experience smoothed their initial shock into practiced ease. They approached Shin Keir with rehearsed smiles, measured steps, and eager eyes, hoping to catch even a fraction of his attention.
He acknowledged them with cool nods and brief exchanges. Polite, efficient, distant.
He had been impossibly busy these past weeks. That was precisely why Tristan had attended most public engagements in his stead, representing the Keir family with his usual charm and diplomacy.
It was only after concluding a critical overseas negotiation, one that had stretched far longer than anticipated, that he finally checked his phone and read Yeri's message.
Across the hall, Zoren Lin halted mid-step the instant he saw Shin Keir.
For the first time, Zoren wished that Shin Keir had remained true to his reclusive reputation and stayed away. He knew better than anyone that Shin loathed events like this. And yet, here he was.
"Ah… you're here," Zoren greeted, his smile strained, his tone half-hearted.
Before Shin could respond, Zoren felt a sharp glare burn into the side of his face. His father and grandfather had already moved past him, their expressions lighting up with unmistakable urgency as they went to welcome Shin Keir personally.
"Young Master Keir," Old Master Lin said warmly, clasping Shin's hand. "What an honor."
Shin returned the gesture briefly, his expression unreadable.
Before any conversation could truly begin, a sudden commotion erupted near the side entrance.
A man's hoarse screams echoed through the hall, drawing gasps from the guests. Leo could be seen thrashing wildly as security dragged him toward the exit, his face contorted with rage, his words increasingly incoherent.
He cursed indiscriminately, but Yeri's name cut sharply through the chaos.
Shin's gaze snapped toward the disturbance instantly. The moment he recognized the person and heard Yeri's name, his eyes darkened.
He turned slowly to Zoren, his look quiet but lethal.