The Old Jude family's banquet was as luxurious as ever.
Golden light danced under the massive crystal chandeliers, casting a warm glow over the guests as they mingled and chatted.
No one expected that the young master of the Hayes family, Liam Hayes, would actually attend.
"Is that him? The one they say would inherit the whole of the Hayes wealth?"
"I heard he has a mental illness though. He looks kind of cute."
"Who's that beside him? He doesn't seem like an ordinary person."
The guests whispered among themselves, discreetly taking out their phones to search for information about the young man accompanying Liam who was… Ethan Forrest.
Tall and slender, with sharp features and an air of nobility, yet with a hint of coldness. No matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find any information about him.
Some speculated that he might be the heir of some influential family, while others thought he might be a bodyguard.
One guest even joked that he might be the young master's new "toy." Hinting that the young master was gay since mostly he always posted pictures of himself looking like a girl.
Ethan sat at the side of the long table, paying no attention to the gazes.
His expression remained calm, with only a slight twitch in his brow when he saw Liam Hayes keeping up his 'I am a fool' act.
That kid was indeed clever.
In such a short time, he managed to play the role of being unhinged and cute to perfection.
Whenever guests tried to approach him, he would smile and ask, "Do you like meatballs? Hubby and I made them together at night!"
The guests would inevitably smile and think he was harmless.
"Deceptive appearance, heh, clever soul," Ethan thought to himself, looking away and sipping white wine.
The atmosphere in the hall gradually became more lively when the Forrest Family arrived.
Servants moved discreetly through the crowds, carrying silver trays laden with champagne and red wine. The guests chatted in hushed tones until a sudden commotion at the entrance caught everyone's attention.
"Look, the Forrest family has arrived."
"The Forrest family? They're an old-money family. I heard even the city officials give them a wide berth."
The room's focus shifted almost entirely to the entrance.
A spry elderly man walked in, his steps steady despite his age. He leaned on an ebony cane, a gentle smile on his face. His eyes, though cloudy with age, seemed to see right through people.
This was Old Man Forrest, the patriarch of the Forrest family.
Behind him were his son, King Forrest, who exuded elegance, and a young man with a calm gaze.
The young man was dressed in a simple black suit, devoid of any unnecessary embellishments, yet he seemed more dignified than any luxury brand.
This was Captain J Howard, the adopted son and right hand man of Ethan Forrest himself. He was said to be the second form of Ethan Forrest because his presence was said to be taken the same way as the actual Ethan Forrest's.
Someone in the crowd whispered, "So this is the legendary Ethan? I heard he rarely makes public appearances."
"That is not, you oaf. Ethan Forrest never makes an appearance in public and when he does it's always with a mask and gloves. This is honorable Captain Jack Howards who flew a helicopter at 7 years old."
Old Mr. Jude smiled and stepped forward to greet them, extending his hand to shake with Old Mr. Forrest.
"Old friend, it's been too long."
"Not at all," Man Forest replied with a chuckle, "If I didn't show up to your party, you'd probably erase me from the old geezers for life tree."
The two elderly men laughed, and the atmosphere in the room softened.
"Come, sit down. We have a game of bridge set up, and I've been waiting for you."
"Sounds good. I'd love to see if your skills have declined with age."
Soon after, the host, Mr. Jude's son, raised his glass to welcome the guests. "Tonight, we have two esteemed guests: Mr. Forrest from the Forrest family and our own Mr. Hayes."
The guests applauded, and laughter filled the room. "Let's raise our glasses to the friendship between our families!"
The sound of clinking glasses echoed through the hall.
Old Mr. Jude's laughter boomed as he played bridge with Old Mr. Forrest.
The two elderly men, one shrewd and the other steady, held their cards with an air of authority, as if they controlled half of the upper circle.
The guests around them showered them with flattery.
"You're still as impressive as ever, old gentlemen!"
"Where, where," Old Mr. Forest chuckled, "it's all about the younger generation now."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Adrian in the distance.
"The Hayes child seems quite spirited tonight."
Old Mr. Jude smiled with narrowed eyes, "Yes, I heard he wasn't feeling well recently, but he looks quite lively now."
He was more than happy, happier than anyone to see his grandson who hadn't even wished him a happy birthday yet. His presence was enough. But he was cautious, why did he come when he wasn't well. That would cause rumors to spread about the Hayes family.
Just then, a suave voice interrupted the two elderly men's conversation.
"With Mr. Hayes, my brother, away, I wouldn't want to leave our guest unattended."
Everyone turned to look.
A middle-aged man walked over, elegant in his tailored suit, with a playful smile on his lips.
He was Marcus Hayes, the second son of the Hayes family—Liam's uncle.
He bowed slightly to the guests and turned to Adrian with a warm, yet probing gaze.
"My dear nephew, you're doing great tonight. Why don't you let Uncle and Old Mr. Jude and everyone see if you've inherited your mother's skill?"
The guests perked up at this.
"Oh? The young master's mother was a master embroiderer, wasn't she?"
"Yes, her 'Moonlit Courtyard' was a sensation in the upper circle back then."
Marcus smiled benevolently and beckoned to someone beside him. "As it happens, my daughter, Elinor, has been learning embroidery recently. Why don't we have a little competition? Let's see who takes after their mother more?"
The room fell silent.
Old Mr. Jude raised an eyebrow, amused, and glanced at Old Mr. Forrest. "This is getting interesting. This old man would love to see."
Old Mr. Forrest smiled but said nothing, his eyes fixed on Ethan who was standing like a bodyguard by the side of the young master Hayes. What was that grandson of his up to with the 17 years old kid?
Marcus's smile was too forced, and Elinor's gaze too arrogant. They definitely had an agenda. He smiled warmly, but his eyes hid a hint of mockery.
The guests were taken aback for a moment before they burst into laughter.
"Oh? Liam Hayes doing embroidery? That's rare. Which young master still does needlework these days?"
Adrian's fingers tightened slightly.
He remembered that the original owner of this body was indeed talented in embroidery. However, that talent was seen as a symbol of shame in his father's eyes.
"If you ever mention your mother's skills again, I'll cut off your funding and kick you out of the Hayes family!" That sentence was etched into his mind like a branding iron by his own father.
Marcus's words now felt like a deliberate jab at him.
"What? Can't remember?" Marcus's tone was laced with amusement. "Why don't you compete with my daughter? The loser will have to toast Old Master Jude three times."
The guests cheered and egged them on.
Adrian's face turned pale, but he forced a smile and stood up.
He glanced at the girl across from him—Marcus's daughter, who had a delicate face and a smug expression. Elinor Hayes.
Her look seemed to say, 'You're not worthy.'
"I..." He hesitated, then stopped.
The soul inside him was Adrian Cross, a chef. Though he had taken on the Hayes' identity, he knew nothing about embroidery. But if the purpose of the competition was to please Old Master Jude, why stick to just embroidery?
He turned to Ethan and whispered, "I need to prepare."
Ethan raised an eyebrow and asked calmly, "Liam Hayes. Are you running away?"
Adrian was taken aback by Ethan's gaze. The cold disappointment in his eyes was more unbearable than criticism.
"I...I don't do embroidery anymore. I've forgotten," Adrian said softly.
Ethan was silent for a few seconds before standing up.
"Let's go," he said.
"Where?" Adrian asked, confused.
"You said you needed to prepare, didn't you?" Ethan replied with a faint smile. "I'll run away with you, come on."
A few minutes later….
"The young master Hayes is missing!"