“Where is Sera?” Logan’s voice was loud and clear, carrying across the entrance like a thunderclap.
Given his position at the doorway, it was impossible for the funeral guests not to notice the commotion. Heads began to turn. Murmurs spread through the crowd.
After all, rumors had long circulated that the mysterious Alex harbored a special interest in the Kleinberg Family’s youngest granddaughter.
And now, he had actually shown up at Logan Father and Sera Grandfather? The implications of this were far from ordinary.
Moments later, Sera emerged from the inner hall, dressed in a somber black mourning dress.
It had only been two days since she had last seen him, yet she appeared even more worn out, her face pale, her eyes red and swollen from endless tears.
Then, her gaze landed on Alex, standing tall and indifferent, flanked by the smiling Kleinberg Family members.
Instantly, disgust flashed in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, her voice sharp with resentment.
Alex met her glare with an expression of pure indifference, as if she had just asked the most idiotic question imaginable. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire
“I’m here to eat, of course.” His tone was flat, but his gaze carried the unmistakable look of someone staring at an absolute fool.
What else would I be here for? Did she really expect him to share in her grief, to mourn so deeply that he became inconsolable?
Ridiculous. Without another word, Alex brushed past the still-glaring Sera and made his way to an empty table.
Casually, he pulled out a chair, sat down, and, without the slightest hesitation, grabbed a handful of Snacks from the table and popped them into his mouth.
A satisfying crunch echoed through the hushed hall. Not bad. The taste was pretty decent. For a moment, the entire room froze.
The people seated at the same table as him, who had just been chatting merrily, now sat in absolute silence, their faces tense with awkwardness.
The air had become so thick with unease that it felt like time itself had stalled. Yet, Alex remained unbothered.
“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked casually, cracking open another snacks. “These are actually pretty good.” It was as if he was merely an entertained spectator, waiting for the main act of a grand drama to begin.
Sera, meanwhile, stood utterly dumbfounded. She couldn’t wrap her head around what Alex was trying to pull. Was he here to mock them? To humiliate them? To make a scene?
Before she could voice her thoughts, Alex suddenly paused mid-chew, turned his head slightly, and gave her a nonchalant glance.
“Oh, right. I left in a hurry today and forgot to bring money.” His voice was completely casual, as if he were merely making a passing remark.
Then, he continued in an offhand tone:
“But since we’re all family, I won’t be giving a funeral gift this time.” For a brief second, the entire funeral hall went completely still.
Then, the whispers began. Family? What did that mean? Was Sera truly connected to Alex now?
If so, that would change everything. The businessmen in the hall quickly recalculated their future strategies. If the Kleinberg Family had really managed to forge a connection with Alex, then their standing in the City was about to skyrocket.
No longer just one of the top families, but potentially the most powerful of them all. Logan, standing nearby, felt his heart soar. As a veteran businessman, he knew of the opportunity when he saw it.
He could already envision the future, the Kleinberg Family rising to dominate the City’s elite.
His father had spent his entire life trying to achieve this level of status, yet he was the one who had finally made it happen.
Calming his thrilled heart, Logan forced himself to remain composed, took a deep breath, and, with the widest smile he had ever worn, walked toward Alex.
“Ah, yes, yes! From now on, the Kleinberg Family and Alex are one family!” Logan beamed, his expression overflowing with fake warmth.
“Sera is my most beloved niece. Ever since my younger brother and his wife tragic passing, I have been the one raising her. In a way, you could even say I’m half a father to her…” His voice dripped with self-satisfaction, as if he had just secured the greatest deal of his life.
At this moment, Logan felt like he was floating on air. Not even taking over Kleinberg Industries had filled him with this level of euphoria.
Sera gritted her teeth so hard it was a wonder they didn’t shatter. Her entire body trembled with barely restrained rage.
If it weren’t for the fact that they were at her grandfather’s funeral, she would have already unleashed hell upon Logan.
And it wouldn’t be pretty. The last time she had cursed him out at the hospital, she had been painfully aware of one major flaw,
Her vocabulary wasn’t nearly vicious enough.
Determined to fix this, she had spent the past few days honing her skills, even taking a deep dive into the darkest corners of online insults.
Now, her arsenal was fully stocked, her verbal daggers sharpened and ready to strike. But, unfortunately for her, this was not the time nor place to go on a full-scale verbal assault.
Which pissed her off even more. But just as she was about to explode, A leisurely, unbothered voice cut through the tension. “And just who the hell do you think you are?” The words weren’t loud, but they slammed into the hall like a hammer to glass.
Alex, still seated casually, barely even glanced at Logan. He lazily cracked open another snacks, popped it into his mouth, and continued,
“Family? With me?” Alex let out a slow, mocking laugh, his gaze filled with cold amusement. “You? You’re not even worth mentioning.” A heavy silence blanketed the hall.
The air froze. Every single person present, whether a business tycoon, a politician, or a social elite, collectively held their breath.
Because everyone knew, Alex rarely lost his temper, but when he did, the consequences were catastrophic. For a brief, fleeting moment, Logan completely forgot how to breathe.