Al arrived at the sitting room but didn't enter immediately. His mother, Sandra, approached him first—wearing an elegant pastel gown with the aura of a powerful matriarch. She glanced at Al from head to toe, clearly unimpressed by his casual outfit: just a t-shirt and long pants. But given the urgency of the situation, she let it go.
"Al, our guests today are the Valendra family. They've already arrived," Sandra said firmly. "Tonight, your engagement annulment with Nayala will be discussed. But to honor the bond that's still technically active, your father and I want you to accompany them throughout the day. Don't cause trouble, don't speak out of line, but also don't be too silent. Remember to uphold our family's image. Understood?"
Slaying a giant dragon would probably be easier than this. Why does breaking off an engagement have to be this complicated? Being rich is exhausting... Al complained silently.
"Yes, Mother," he replied with a smile.
His footsteps echoed softly along the marble hallway. As he entered the sitting room, a lively scene greeted him.
Dozens of people filled the space, some still busy arranging suitcases and large bags—clearly having just arrived that morning. A mix of expensive perfume and fine incense filled the air.
In the center of the room, Nayala sat gracefully next to a middle-aged man and woman, clearly her parents. Around them, other relatives of various ages—mostly adults and elders—dressed casually, yet still exuded wealth and status.
On the Virellano side stood Edward, Sandra, Aurielle, Sarah, Vianna, Lysha, and of course David, who was seated not far from Nayala.
Edward stood up and took control of the room.
"Thank you to the Valendra family for coming all the way from Vali Island. And this here… is our son who was switched at birth, and the original fiancé in this engagement—Al… Al Virellano."
Everyone in the room was taken aback. It was the first time the Virellano name had been officially attached to Al. Some family members looked visibly uncomfortable hearing it.
All heads turned as Al stepped into the center of the room. Without much expression, he gave a slight nod and said,
"Nice to meet you. Thank you for coming."
Silence.
Then whispers started to rise from the back rows of the Valendra family.
"That's all he says?"
"Look at his clothes. No manners at all."
"Doesn't look like a child from a family like the Virellanos."
"Not a match for our Nayala, clearly."
"Just some orphan who got lucky landing in a rich family…"
"Dreams way too big for someone like him…"
Hearing the mockery, Sandra looked slightly uncomfortable but stayed silent, exhaling slowly. Edward remained expressionless, waiting calmly.
Sarah hid a mischievous smirk. Aurielle glanced sharply at the speakers but stayed composed. Vianna stood like a statue, emotionless. Lysha tapped her shoe, clearly annoyed—not at the insults toward Al, but at his unimpressive demeanor and appearance.
Unexpectedly, Al lifted his gaze. He looked straight at Edward and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear:
"Father. I want to ask something… Is the Valendra family of higher status than the Virellano family?"
Silence. Even the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Edward furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean, Al?"
"I'm just curious. Because all I've heard so far are insults directed at me. Aren't they mocking the Virellano bloodline? And since no one corrected them, I thought maybe... our family's status is actually lower. If that's the case, I'll start behaving even lower to meet their expectations."
Quiet.
All eyes turned to Edward. The middle-aged man suddenly realized that, technically, Al was right. The Virellanos were the third-richest family in Indorosia, while the Valendras were merely a family funded by Virellano's investment group. Even though Al hadn't yet been publicly announced as an heir, he was still their blood relative.
To insult Al—especially in front of the family head—was a grave insult to the Virellano name itself.
Before Edward could respond, Nayala's father stood abruptly. His name was Ge Wiranta Valendra—a dignified man with a well-groomed mustache, dressed in a linen suit with traditional Vali patterns.
"M-My sincerest apologies, Mr. Edward… Young Master Al… and to the entire Virellano family. We came here as guests, and some of our family members spoke out of turn. I personally regret their behavior and will reprimand them properly. Once again, please accept my deepest apologies for their disrespect."
He bowed deeply. The relatives who had insulted Al followed suit, though reluctantly.
Edward gave a slight nod, choosing not to escalate the issue.
"You're our guests, and our families have long-standing ties. I won't make this a bigger issue. But let's make sure it doesn't happen again."
Al gave a small smile and returned to his place.
Nayala, watching her family bow to Al, nearly lost her composure—but quickly masked her expression.
---
Later that day.
Dozens of family members and servants were busy preparing. Chauffeurs stood at attention beside luxury cars lined up in the front courtyard. The Valendra family members, including Nayala and her parents, were dressed in stylish casual wear, ready to tour the city before the evening event.
As instructed, Al walked toward the Valendra family's car—a long black sedan where Nayala and her parents were already seated. But when he opened the back door—
David was already inside.
David gave him a relaxed look, leaning back comfortably with a smug expression.
"Sorry, Al. Nayala insisted I ride with her. I couldn't say no… you know how she is."
Al took a quick glance. Sure enough, the seats were all occupied.
Without saying much, Al nodded slightly and backed away. He walked back toward where his parents were standing.
Sandra noticed him first.
"Al, why aren't you going? They're ready to leave."
Al replied calmly, "The car's full, Mom. No more seats left."
Edward raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. His eyes turned toward the Valendra car—where David looked quite at ease.
Sandra let out a soft sigh, whether from relief or hidden frustration was unclear.
"But you have to go. Today's outing is part of the engagement annulment process," she insisted.
She then called over Harun, the head butler.
"Harun, do we have any spare cars?"
Harun bowed slightly and answered,
"Apologies, Master Edward, Madam Sandra, all the family's arranged vehicles have already left. The only ones remaining are the personal cars of the Young Masters and Master Edward himself. But the daytime drivers have all been assigned elsewhere."
The situation grew awkward… until a familiar voice chimed in.
"Sir, allow me to take Young Master Al using my car."
Everyone turned to look.
Dedy, the large man with a bald head gleaming in the morning sun, stepped forward with a serious face. He added firmly:
"I'll act as his personal guard for today."
Edward gave Dedy a puzzled look—rarely did the man take initiative to speak. But he didn't object.
"Very well. Drive safely. And make sure he doesn't do anything strange. Understood?"
"Understood, Sir."
Al simply smiled and followed Dedy.
When they reached the car, it wasn't a fancy vehicle—just Dedy's personal local SUV. The interior was clean, but thanks to Dedy's massive frame, the cabin felt a bit cramped.
Al sat sideways, holding back laughter as he saw Dedy's head nearly touching the roof.
"You're way too big, Dedy… it's stuffy in here. I can't feel the AC."
Dedy grinned.
"Apologies, Young Master. Please bear with it."
They both chuckled softly.
The vehicle pulled out, cutting through the city streets.
---