The crowd started whispering immediately. Damian's face darkened; he already knew where all this was going.
Alfred continued. "Some have chosen to disgrace us—throwing away the honor their ancestors built. They forgot the blood that runs through their veins."
Every word was like a needle.
Gabriel watched quietly, his face calm and unreadable.
Damian clenched his fists under the table. He wanted to speak, but he knew better. The moment he opened his mouth, they would twist his words.
Alfred raised his hand slightly, and the whispers died down.
"Tonight, I will reintroduce to you all a man who once carried our name… Damian Graves," he said, his tone filled with sarcasm. "Once an heir, now just a shadow of what he could have been."
A few people laughed quietly. Others looked away, pretending not to notice. Some smirked openly.
One of those gloating openly was Cedric. He was all smiles. Just a few minutes ago, he had been the one disgraced, but now the tables had turned.
