Russell was the first to step out of the car. He opened the door of a Koenigsegg and helped the man in the back seat—a figure of immense importance—step out.
Under the warm yellow lights, the man in a sleek black suit stood by the car door, hands in his pockets.
His face, sharp and perfectly sculpted, looked as if it had been carved by the god.
His eyes, dark and turbulent, radiated a coldness sharper than winter ice.
The moment he appeared, the entire estate buzzed with activity.
The elite guests rushed to greet him, and even Lonnie Adams, the patriarch of the Adams family who had been absent until now, hurried out of the mansion to welcome Cline.
"Mr. Moriarty," Lonnie said, bowing slightly as he approached with his family in tow.
"I had no idea you would grace our humble gathering. Had I known, I would have personally greeted you at the door with my entire family. Please forgive our oversight."
Cline responded with a cold, indifferent tone, "It's fine."
His icy gaze swept across the room, but when he didn't see the person he was looking for, his brow furrowed slightly.
At that moment, Gehrmann stepped out of a limited-edition Phantom. He had come mainly to confront Calvert about his intentions.
Seeing Gehrmann arrive, Lonnie felt even more honored. "Gehrmann, you're here too? What an auspicious day!"
Lonnie had been worried about finding a suitable match for his daughter, and now both Moriarty brothers had shown up.
While Gehrmann was known for his carefree, playboy lifestyle, he was still a Moriarty—a name worth considering.
As for Cline, Lonnie knew better than to aim that high. The Ortegas had already marked him as their future family member, and the Adams family couldn't compete with that.
With a clear sense of his place, Lonnie treated the Moriarty brothers as honored guests, completely forgetting about Calvert, whom he had been praising earlier.
This infuriated his daughter, Prunella, who had been eyeing Calvert.
She had begged Herbert to invite Calvert, and now her father was pushing her toward Gehrmann!
That playboy would never settle for her.
Fuming, Prunella shot Herbert a glare before sneaking away.
Lonnie continued to fawn over Cline, almost to the point of embarrassment, making Herbert feel increasingly uncomfortable.
He shot Calvert a look, signaling him to step outside for a drink.
Calvert, who had been wanting to leave for a while, took the hint and made his exit.
[$]
Before he could leave the banquet hall, Gehrmann called out to him. "Mr. Coburn."
Gehrmann approached him, his tone accusatory. "If I recall correctly, it was your family who approached mine for an alliance half a year ago. And now you're here, attending Prunella Adams' matchmaking banquet. Care to explain?"
Gehrmann didn't bring up Luana directly, partly out of respect for Cline's past relationship with her, but he wasn't about to let Calvert off the hook for breaking his word.
He used the Adams banquet as an excuse to confront him.
Calvert, unfazed by Gehrmann's aggression, replied with a chilling calmness. "The alliance was my father's idea. He never consulted me, and I have no intention of marrying your sister. Let's not take it too seriously."
Gehrmann's face paled, then darkened with anger. "Are you saying you're calling off the engagement?"
Calvert smiled faintly. "There was never an engagement to begin with. How can I call off something that doesn't exist?"
It was true—the alliance had only been discussed, never formalized.
And without the consent of both parties, how could it be considered binding?
Calvert's words, spoken in front of so many people, were a clear slap in the face to the Moriarty family.
Gehrmann, who was used to a carefree lifestyle and lacked Calvert's composure, was about to lose his temper.
He rolled up his sleeves, ready to teach Calvert a lesson, but Cline stopped him.
"Gehrmann."
Cline, seated in the place of honor, exuded an air of aloof superiority that silenced the room.
He was, after all, the sole heir of the Moriarty family, and his presence was overwhelming.
Cline's cold, emotionless voice echoed through the hall.
"It was your father who came to the Moriarty family seeking an alliance. If you wish to withdraw, have your father come and retract his request—just as he made it."
The word "seek" made everyone realize the truth.
It was the Coburn family who had been trying to climb the Moriarty family's social ladder.
They had assumed it was a mutual alliance between two powerful families, but now it was clear the Coburns were no different from the rest—using their children to secure their position.
[$]
The crowd exchanged disdainful glances, though they conveniently forgot that the Coburn Group far surpassed their own families in influence, power, and status.
Calvert accepted the judgmental stares with grace and nodded at Cline's suggestion.
"You have my word, Mr. Moriarty. I will ensure my father handles this matter properly."
With that, he turned and left to find Luana.
Watching him go, Gehrmann's face turned red with anger. "Good riddance. My sister can do better than him anyway."
Lonnie, eager to curry favor with his most promising potential son-in-law, quickly chimed in. "Absolutely! Gehrmann, your sister is exceptional. It's Coburn's loss for not recognizing her worth."