Some of the family members wanted to gasp out loud. Others sat frozen, mouths parted before they snapped them shut, trying to conceal their surprise. The younger heirs tilted their heads, as though their ears had deceived them.
Because Chad Stern, of all people, had just spoken in Max's defense. He had stated, clear as day, that Donto had laid his hands on Max first. That meant he was backing up Max's and Aron's claim, shifting blame away from them.
The revelation rippled across the room like a shockwave. Everyone present knew the long, ugly history between Max and Chad. If any one of them had been asked who bullied Max the most, the answer would have been obvious: Chad.
At every family gathering, Chad had found some way to humiliate him. Sometimes through cruel name-calling, sometimes with petty pranks, other times by pushing him into embarrassing situations in front of the others. Some of them even knew that Chad's behavior extended beyond these halls, that he made Max's life miserable even outside of the family's gaze.
Many of the older heirs remembered how it began even before Max's parents had passed. Chad used to snatch items away from Max, not because he wanted them but simply because Max had them. He thrived on seeing his cousin empty-handed, diminished.
And everyone remembered the last gathering, when the hostility had boiled over into a physical fight, when Max had actually punched Chad. Their relationship had always been fractured, but in recent months it seemed completely unsalvageable.
So for Chad to speak now, and to speak for Max, left everyone reeling.
Karen Stern was the first to move. Her sunglasses slipped lower down her nose as she swept across the polished floor to her son.
"Chad…" she said carefully, her smile nervous. "Did you fumble your words again? It looks like you may have had a little too much to drink in celebration." Her hand clamped gently onto his arm, but her nails dug into his sleeve. "Remember, this is Father's precious vase we're talking about. It's important you get the details right."
She leaned in close, her voice a low hiss against his ear.
"What are you doing?" she whispered sharply. "This is our chance. Our chance to get rid of that annoying bodyguard of his!"
Her words were laced with venom. Aron's presence had long been a thorn in her side. She still remembered the humiliation he had caused her before, and not just once. Though Chad was always the most obvious about trying to control Max's money, Karen had her own reasons for despising Aron.
She wasn't alone. After the passing of Max's parents, many of them had seen an opportunity. They had circled Max like vultures, each trying to stake their claim on his inheritance. Yet every time, there had been one person advising Max, whispering guidance that kept him out of their clutches. That person was Aron. And that was why they saw him as such a problem.
But Chad shook his head. His lips tightened into a thin line as he pulled his arm slightly out of her grip.
"I didn't make a mistake," Chad said aloud, doubling down. His voice trembled, but it carried enough conviction to silence the whispers. "Not only was Donto the first to lay his hands on Max, but the moment he entered, he was taunting him. Aren't we here because it's Max's celebration? Yet Donto tried to belittle him, tried to make him small, and then put his hands on him. It's no wonder Aron acted. If you ask me, Aron was doing his job. We all know how strong Donto is, maybe he would've broken Baby Max's jaw."
The last words were dripping with sarcasm. The nickname, Baby Max, fit Chad's usual tone far more. The insult softened his betrayal just enough to feel familiar, like a cruel coat of paint slapped onto a truth he couldn't avoid.
But everyone in the room felt it. Beneath the sneer, Chad was confirming what had happened.
Still, with Chad doubling down, no one quite knew how to react. Because there was something else everyone knew: Dennis was well aware of the fractured relationship between Chad and Max. And if Chad, the one person who should've been eager to bury Max, was sticking up for him, then it was far more likely he was telling the truth.
Dennis would believe Chad over those who had always been against Max.
Before Dennis could even speak, however, another voice cut through the silence.
"I'm sorry, Max."
All eyes turned. Donto was bowing his head. His broad shoulders slumped as he looked at Max, and for once his arrogance seemed stripped away.
"I'm sorry for touching you. Honestly, it's not been long since you graduated, and I still saw you as someone in high school. We used to play rough with each other when we were younger, but we're both adults now. I didn't think about how it would come across."
He turned then to Dennis, lowering his head deeper in a formal bow.
"I also apologize for breaking the precious vase," Donto said solemnly. "I know I can never replace its sentimental value. It wasn't my intention, and if you wish to punish me, then so be it."
The hall went quiet again. All eyes shifted to Dennis. His expression was unreadable, but his silence weighed on them all until it became unbearable.
And then, finally, Dennis laughed.
"Do you really think I would be so foolish as to put something truly precious on display?" he said, his voice carrying easily across the room. "That vase is nothing but a replica. The real one is locked safely away. Don't worry yourselves about it."
The laughter faded into a smile that was as sharp as it was kind. "What I wish for today, more than anything, is for this family to get along. So let's put this behind us and celebrate Max's graduation properly. Please, everyone, take your seats. Let's enjoy a meal together."
Relief swept through the hall like a wave. Shoulders eased, and whispers restarted as the heirs moved toward the long dining table. Servants hurried discreetly to clear the shards of the vase.
Aron stepped back toward the line of staff stationed against the wall, his expression calm but his posture ready. Fred stood there too, watching silently. This was how the family meals were always arranged, guards and staff kept away from the table, so the heirs could enjoy a semblance of intimacy.
As Donto passed Chad on his way to his seat, he leaned down slightly, his voice low enough for only Chad to hear.
"You made the wrong decision, Chad," he muttered. "I thought you were better than that."