Gabriel and Adrian Bennett—her brothers. The air seemed to shift around them. Gabriel, the CEO of a multinational tech firm, and Adrian, a global philanthropist and investor—names that carried weight far beyond the confines of that gilded room.
Gabriel’s eyes found hers instantly. “Ava,” he said, his voice low but furious, “who did this to you?”
Miranda stepped forward, forcing a smile. “This is a private family event. You’re not welcome here.”
Adrian’s laughter was cold and precise. “Private? You made a public spectacle of our sister. You forfeited privacy the moment you humiliated her.”
Lucas finally stood, his voice weak. “They didn’t mean any harm. It was only—”
“Only what?” Gabriel thundered, his voice echoing. “Entertainment? You watched your wife being degraded and did nothing.”
The crowd was motionless now. Even the waiters had stopped moving. Ava felt Adrian’s arm slide protectively around her shoulders as he glared at Miranda and Tessa.
“You call yourselves refined,” he said evenly, “but refinement without humanity is just cruelty in better clothes.”