"There's nothing interesting to be there. You can see through my mories. I was on a hunting mission. The fallen angel was in her city, and I needed a perfect cover to hide…" Azzy plainly replied in his head.
Back outside, Leah turned cheekier and said, "So, basically, you were on a mission to reunite with Claire but instead got sidetracked and fell in love with Leiza, huh? Is this the reason you broke up with her?"
Azzy's eyes darkened for a second as if he wanted to curse this friend of his. She knows what happened, but is still trying to tease him here.
He was about to clarify, but then Leiza replied with a bit of a proud face. "It's called destiny, Leah. Who we et, we decide it, but who we end up with, destiny decides it. That's why I'm with him, and she isn't." She gave a glare to Leah as if she was stating, You aren't destined with him either.
Azzy couldn't speak anything now, in order to keep his wife happy and not to hurt her dignity amongst these guests. He quietly nodded and muttered. "Yeah, I guess."
It was then that Orion finally looked up, joining the conversation. However, he wasn't filled with curiosity, but looked like he was quite offended. "So, in a nutshell… You had a girlfriend. But before breaking up with her, you had a son with Princess Leah over here, then, you fell in love with my mom before having ?"
Orion's sudden question brought silence to the table, turning a light-hearted conversation into a heavy discomfort.
Azzy placed his chopsticks down slowly, the clinking of wood against the porcelain bowl suddenly loud in the heavy silence. "The truth is not always what it seems on the surface, Orion. To see the truth, you need to be more broad-minded. Narrow vision will only give wrong conclusions."
Affea coughed awkwardly, trying to change the subject. "The roasted duck is amazing tonight. Fiona, did you try…"
But Fiona, uncharacteristically quiet, was staring at Zion, who still hadn't reacted.
"Truth? How do I know whether you tell the truth or not? You weren't there for or my mother, our entire life," Orion said coldly. "Seventeen years, while I grew up without a father. When you return, all I've got are lies after lies."
Leiza's mouth opened to speak, but Orion was already barreling forward.
"Yeah, I want to put away all those bitter feelings behind , but it is quite difficult, Dad." Orion backed away from the table, chair screeching. "I'm sorry. I'm done with this dinner."
He turned and stord away from the room.
"Orion!" Leiza called, rushing after him.
"What the hell is with that boy?" Vesyrn wondered aloud. "Is sothing wrong, Azzy?" He asked. "He suddenly flares up for no reason?"
Azzy took a heavy breath and replied. "Actually, Leiza and Orion weren't from Gaia, Dad. They were from Planet Irth. It was supposedly one of the planets where our ancestors from millions of years ago, settled down after the planetary exodus event. After I was stranded near a black hole during my breakthrough to the demigod realm and missed out 17 years, I returned to them, and the mont I did, they had to co with . In a way, I took away their ho and life. So, he was kinda frustrated and angry with ."
Leah raised an eyebrow. "Black hole?" Since she knew the truth, she understood that Azzy was trying to maintain the sa story with everyone else to be consistent. She didn't say anything.
Vesyrn let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Maybe this dinner… wasn't the best idea after all."
It was then that Izora spoke aloud. "Wait a second… I have another grandson?" She looked at Zion in disbelief. "We have been friends for so long, Leah. How co you never told ?"
All eyes turned to Leah for a mont.
She then turned her attention to Azzy. "Seriously? Not even you? Are you ashad to have so illegitimate child or sothing?"
Azzy opened his mouth, but no words ca. His shoulders slumped as awkward silence settled over him.
Zion, still seated but clearly irritated by Izora's words, answered in Azzy's place. "Because I'm not the kind of son you announce at family dinners," he said dryly, gaze flicking around the table. "I'm the product of sperm donation. Not love. Not a political marriage. Not even a one-night stand. Just biology and royal necessity."
Leah's expression twisted with her jaw tightening. "Zion," she said sharply, "that's enough. Apologize to them."
He didn't flinch. He looked at her.
"If anyone deserves an apology," Zion said, "it's . Not these people. And you were the one who should apologize. But you won't apologize, will you? Because I'm not your son. I'm a weapon. Sothing you needed to secure your family's legacy."
He pushed the plate away and stood. "I apologize for ruining the al. I'm done for the day."
Without another glance, he walked out, his footsteps heavy and unhurried.
Azzy placed his elbows on the table, pressing his hands against his face in quiet frustration. "All I wanted… was a al. One dinner. With everyone I care about. Just… to be together for a night. That's it. Was that such a big dream?"
Izora didn't let it rest.
"It was a dream," she snapped. "A foolish one, Azzy. You didn't even sort out your ss, but then thought you could invite a cheater and his daughter to this table, after everything, and expect us to be fine with it? Do you think you can fix everything with a dinner?"
That made Fiona's eyes blaze.
"Don't you dare talk about my father like that, Miss Crescent," she said, rising halfway out of her seat. "My father suffered enough because of your damn clan. And despite that, we were happy. Until your precious Azrael ca along and begged us to show up. If I wasn't promised that my mother would be acknowledged as the daughter-in-law of the clan, I wouldn't even bother myself to see your faces."
Her voice trembled, not with fear, but with anger.
"And now you sit there and humiliate us in front of everyone?" she hissed. "What did we do? What did I do to deserve that?"
"Well, you should ask that damn father of yours, that question." Izora slamd the table, her 8-star realm aura erupted from her in anger. "he was the one who destroyed a nice and standing 30 years of marriage because he couldn't control his lust and chased after any woman out there he could find?"
Izora didn't wait there anymore. She barged out of the room, too.
Vesyrn hurriedly rose to his feet and reached out to her, grabbing her arm and stopping her for a mont. "Wait, Izora... I..."
"Who gave you the permission to touch , you bastard..." Izora tightened her fist and punched his face.
Vesyrn staggered back. Fiona hurriedly grabbed her father. "Dad... Let's go out of this place..."
"Wait, I..."
"Let's go..." She dragged him away with her.
The table went dead silent again. Only Leah, Affea, and Azzy were left at the dinner table with dozens of unfinished dishes.
"None of this… was supposed to go like this," Azzy mumbled under his breath, grabbing his forehead. "Just a minute ago, we were all smiling. Why is that all of a sudden, everyone is at throats with each other now?"
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