Just what was he planning? Solivair's cooperation caught Hugo and Ryder off guard. It was too smooth, too unlike him—and that made it impossible to read his intentions. Arthur was equally puzzled. What on earth was Solivair trying to pull? Even Arthur couldn’t figure him out this time. From the moment they arrived, Arthur had been trying to approach Solivair. But Solivair had been avoiding him at every turn, deliberately keeping his distance and refusing to engage. So when Arthur saw Solivair sit down at the same table as him earlier, he had been genuinely surprised. But now? Why had Solivair suddenly followed Ryder's instruction and moved to another table without a fuss? Solivair was not the type to step aside and do someone else a favor just to be nice. Still, no amount of guessing would help now. All they could do was wait and see what Solivair was really planning. Each table had a set number of seats. Since Solivair had moved, Ryder took his place at Arthur’s table, and Hugo returned to the front row to sit with Solivair. No one knew what Solivair was up to, but at least this way he was no longer sitting with Arthur—Hugo could keep an eye on him, which was better than nothing. Soon, the banquet began. Everything proceeded surprisingly smoothly. At Arthur's table, the young men there had originally been busy flattering Solivair. But now, with Solivair gone and Ryder taking his seat, they were suddenly lost. They all knew Ryder and Solivair didn’t get along. If they turned around and started trying to flatter Ryder, they might come off as opportunistic fence-sitters—and Ryder might remember that. And if Solivair happened to witness it, they were doomed.But Ryder wasn’t just anyone—he was one of the most powerful figures in Evergrand City. He was the head of a major family. Most importantly, he was the one in charge of the Lovaris Group’s legal team. And the Lovaris Group’s legal team? It had a reputation as the most formidable legal force on the planet. Rumor had it that there wasn’t a case they couldn’t win—only ones they chose not to take. The young men at the table all came from business families. And businesspeople were always wary of politicians and lawyers. If they offended Ryder, their families might not survive the fallout. But Solivair… he wasn’t easy to deal with either. They’d all heard stories about his methods—some had even witnessed them firsthand. Both men were powerful enough that none of them could afford to offend either one. And now, with both of them present and circling each other, these poor young men were stuck right in the middle. The entire dinner at their table passed under a suffocating air of awkwardness. They were on edge, constantly nervous, while Ryder, completely oblivious to their distress, kept his attention locked on Arthur, waiting for Solivair to make a move. But strangely enough, the whole evening went by without a single incident on Arthur’s side. Meanwhile, Solivair—seated in the front—was chatting and mingling, seemingly having forgotten Arthur even existed. He didn’t glance over once. Both Ryder and Arthur were filled with growing unease. The more indifferent Solivair appeared, the more uneasy they felt. What was he doing? The sudden change in seating arrangements had been strange enough—Solivair had even sat with Arthur earlier. There was no way that had happened without Solivair’s involvement. Neither Ryder nor Arthur believed otherwise. But now the banquet was nearly over—and still, nothing had happened? Had Solivair really just forgotten about Arthur? And it wasn’t just Ryder and Arthur feeling on edge.Hugo, who was seated at the same table as Solivair, had also been watching him closely the whole time. But all evening, aside from a few snide remarks, Solivair hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary. He hadn’t even looked in Arthur’s direction. Just as the three of them were growing increasingly confused, Solivair suddenly stood up. All three men immediately tensed. But instead of looking at Arthur or walking toward him, Solivair headed straight for the stage. The crowd was just as confused by this sudden move. Everyone had been quietly waiting to see if something dramatic would happen. The abrupt shift in the seating arrangement earlier had made it clear something was off tonight. Even the emcee on stage looked uncertain. Solivair took the mic from him with a casual gesture, signaling for the host to step aside. As this happened, Hugo, Ryder, and Arthur were all struck with a sense of foreboding. Ryder swept his eyes over the three of them with a smirk, then spoke loudly: "Tonight is a day for reunion. Many of you have brought your younger family members along. I imagine it's because you're hoping to guide them, nurture them, and work together to climb even higher as a family." As soon as he said that, the families who had brought their younger members to the banquet visibly tensed.