Chapter 5 - 1.5 : The Dinner and the Decision
That night, the Virellano family dining room was filled with the delicious aroma of food from the ever-busy kitchen. The crystal chandelier bathed the room in warm light, reflecting off the long dining table draped in black silk and gold embroidery—trying, perhaps, to mask the tension that had just unfolded.
Al stepped in and instantly felt the cold stares, especially when the servant gestured for him to sit at the far end of the table—still at the same table, yet clearly apart from the rest of the family. Despite other empty seats in better positions, he was deliberately set aside. A clear sign: the battle wasn’t over.
David sat with a faint smile, arms crossed. Sarah twirled her spoon with a satisfied look. Sandra sat near her husband, unsure, her gaze on Al a mixture of maternal concern and quiet guilt. Even if a large part of her hadn’t accepted Al yet, her motherly instincts made her worry for the child she’d finally found.
"I’m sitting here?" Al asked, his tone casually laced with irony. "Isn’t this a bit..."
Edward stared at him—unaccustomed to being questioned, especially by one of his own children. It was as if his authority was being challenged. Still, he held back his irritation out of consideration for the son who had just returned.
"For now, yes. Besides, you’ve brought trouble to this family tonight. Think of it as punishment," Edward replied.
"You should be grateful we’re even letting you sit here. Normally, we wouldn’t share a table with a backwater criminal like you," Sarah sneered.
Al only nodded.
"Really? So this is how the elite speak? And here I thought you cared about public image..." he muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Sarah was furious. She stood abruptly, slamming her hand on the table.
"What did you just say?!"
"Hey now, how can you be the one angry when you’re the one doing the mocking, and I’m the one being mocked?" Al replied, shaking his head.