The tension in the grand ballroom was visible. The earlier celebratory atmosphere had completely vanished. Guests stood frozen, their eyes darting between Damian, Elara, Serena, and the disheveled Veronica and Vivian.
Damian’s voice sliced through the silence, cold and authoritative. “I think it’s time we cleared the air, once and for all.” He turned to address the crowd, his arm still protective around Elara. “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for this unseemly display. However, it’s necessary to set the record straight.”
Serena, Damian’s mother, wasn’t about to back down. “Your wife struck first,” she insisted, her tone icy. “She’s rude and treated me as if I were nothing.”
“Really?” Damian scoffed. “Do you think I’m a fool, Mother?”
“I didn’t call you that, son, but your overprotect
