"What are you doing here? This place does not welcome you!"
"No one invited you to this party. What are you here for?"
William made no effort to hide his disdain for Ryder, even fearing he would cause trouble, and questioned him coldly. However, Ryder didn't care. He simply blinked and shrugged innocently.
"Grandfather, you misunderstood."
"I truly only came to congratulate my long-lost brother on finding his way back to the family, with the best intentions."
Ryder added respectfully.
"Not to mention, I even brought a welcome gift for my brother, carefully selected, of course."
Before William could say another word, Ryder clapped his hands and called out loudly,
"Come on, bring in the gifts I painstakingly prepared for my brother."
At Ryder's command, a line of people walked in. They were all dressed in striking black suits, standing straight, yet each of them carried a large sack of cement on their shoulder. Because of the weight, their bodies leaned noticeably to one side as they walked slowly.
Whispers spread through the hall once more.
Everyone seemed equally confused by Ryder's actions.
"Ryder, what do you think you're doing?"
William took one look and immediately understood Ryder's intention. Flushed his face red, each word forced out between clenched teeth.
"You give Alexander these gifts, what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Facing William's fury, Ryder merely gave a nonchalant smile. At that moment, the men had just set the first sacks of cement down in the center of the grand hall, right in front of Alexander.
A loud thud echoed, exceptionally jarring.
The reporters at the party had no idea what was happening, but driven by curiosity and the fear of missing a hot scoop, they frantically snapped photos and recorded videos.
"Meaning? Grandfather, don't misunderstand, I don't have any ill intentions."
Ryder shrugged innocently, a mocking smile flickering as he glanced toward Alexander.
"It's just that I heard my brother used to be a skilled dockworker, worked for many years."
"I didn't know what gift to bring, so I simply thought, since he worked at many construction sites, perhaps he would find these cement sacks… familiar."
"That's why I went through so much trouble to buy them and have people transport them here to the party."
Ryder added further,
"Grandfather, you have no idea, my sports car couldn't even fit them. I had to rent a truck just to bring these cement bags over."
After speaking, Ryder cast another glance at Alexander, his tone dripping with mockery.
"So, my dear brother, are you touched by my sincere gift?"
"Look, my bodyguards can barely carry those cement sacks. How about you give them a demonstration tonight, show them how to carry them properly?"
Ryder emphasized every word, deliberately highlighting Alexander's past as a dockworker.
Alexander watched the black-clad bodyguards struggle to set down the remaining cement sacks in the banquet hall, while curious, disdainful, and pitying gazes from the guests swept over him. He let out a leisurely, cold smile.
He didn't say a single word, merely cast Ryder a faint glance, as if looking at a clown putting on a noisy performance. However, the man beside him, William, could no longer hold himself back.
"Ryder, did you really have to choose today of all days to mock Alexander?"
"Get out of here, this banquet does not welcome you."
"Get out, and tell your bodyguards to take these things and throw them all away."
William, usually gentle and composed, had been pushed into anger by Ryder's biting provocation. Ryder, unfazed and thick-skinned, was just about to respond when Alexander slowly stepped forward to support William.
While soothingly patting his back to calm him, he gently advised,
"Grandfather, don't be angry. It's not good for your health."
"This small matter, I can settle it myself."
He blinked, his voice steady and composed. To him, Ryder's performance was nothing more than a trivial prank.
William was still uneasy, ready to continue scolding Ryder, but Alexander simply shook his head, offering a faint smile to signal that he truly could handle it.
William's anger eased, if only slightly.
After reassuring him, Alexander walked forward unhurriedly, his gaze sweeping over the pile of cement sacks Ryder's bodyguards had carried in.
With a faint smile, Alexander let out a slow sigh.
"You truly went to quite some effort to prepare this gift for me. In any case, it does show your sincerity, so thank you."
Alexander replied politely and gently. But a second later, his gaze sharpened.
"It's just a shame you chose a gift without choosing carefully."
"This is merely the kind of cement used for low-grade construction projects."
"In the past, when I worked as a dockworker on major projects, we didn't use this type of cement, we used premium-grade cement."
This information was apparently far too unfamiliar to Ryder. As soon as he heard it, he froze slightly, the smile on his face draining away. The banquet hall also fell silent, as if no one present fully understood what Alexander meant.