Not only Weston, but everyone of status in the room turned to Citrine in shock.

Without a word, Raymond stepped forward, cing himself protectively between Citrine and the others.

That small gesture alone made it clear just how much he valued his daughter.

A sh of anger flickered in Weston''s eyes.

He snapped coldly, "Enough of this nonsense."

"How can you have a daughter when you''ve never even been married?"

Raymond narrowed his eyes. He understood perfectly well that what angered Weston wasn''t the existence of a daughter, but the fact that he''d brought her here, openly acknowledging her as family.

Weston''s sharp gaze locked onto Raymond. "Raymond, show this youngdy the door."

The old man clearly wanted to pretend none of this had happened.

Of course Raymond saw right through him. Weston simply refused to ept this granddaughter.

"Raymond, don''t disappoint me," the old man barked, his voice ringing with warning when Raymond didn''t move.

Raymond nced back at Citrine. Her face was calm, betraying not a hint of emotion.

She seemed not to care about any of this.

But Raymond knew better; it wasn''t that she didn''t care-it was that she''d long stopped hoping for anything from anyone.

Suddenly, Raymond straightened, meeting Weston''s gaze head-on. "We''ve already had a DNA test. She is, without a doubt, my daughter."

"Raymond!" Weston''s voice shot up, hisposure slipping as anger overtook him.

Just as he was about to explode, Weston caught sight of the ne around Citrine''s neck. He shot up from his seat, pointing an usatory finger at her, his face contorted with rage.

"You-you gave her ''Eternal Devotion''?"

Eternal Devotion? Citrine nced down at her ne, a suspicion forming in her mind.

Raymond''s voice was steady and unwavering. "She''s my daughter. Who else would I give it to?"

Of course his daughter deserved the very best.

"Does she deserve it?" Weston''s re swept over Citrine, his fury barely contained. "You think she''s worthy? You''d rather give it to her than to those women you keep hidden away?" Raymond''s eyes turned cold as ice.

"Watch your mouth," Weston spat, humiliated in front of everyone.

Father and son stood off, neither willing to give an inch.

Finally, after a long silence, Weston spoke.

"That belonged to your mother," he said tly. And ''Eternal Devotion'' alone is worth millions.

In the past, this son of his refused to speak of his mother, forbade anyone from mentioning her, let alone touching her belongings. And now he''d handed ''Eternal Devotion''-her most precious heirloom-to someone else.

Citrine was taken aback.

She''d known the ne was valuable, but hadn''t realized it was an inheritance from Raymond''s mother.

Before she could process it, she heard Raymond say firmly, "If it was my mother''s, then I have every right to decide what happens to it."

"Raymond, are you defying me now?"

Weston, still imposing even in old age, spoke with such weight that it felt suffocating.

The younger guests shrank back, too intimidated to utter a word.

Raymond met his father''s gaze without the slightest hint of weakness. "Dad, I''m not asking for your permission." His tone brooked no argument.

Weston''s expression darkened, but atst he relented with a snort. "Fine. She''s just a girl-she won''t make any trouble. If you want to keep her around, go ahead."

Keep her around? Like she was some kind of ything?

What kind of nonsense was this old man spouting?