Zoren's POV

"This food… is horrible. It's poisonous. Get the person who made this out of here."

A glint flickered across Zoren's eyes and his lips curved downward in displeasure. For a moment, everyone could only stare at him in silence, interpreting the look on his face as a signal that someone would die a cruel death tonight.

He drew a deep breath before exhaling slowly, issuing the order. "Now."

The servants flinched, snapping out of their trance before bowing slightly. As instructed, they hurried to the kitchen to fetch the person responsible for the food Zoren had eaten, which had quickly soured his mood.

---

Hours ago…

"Sir, I booked a hotel near the venue for the family gathering," Benjamin said to Zoren as soon as Zoren walked out of the building, where he had just finished a meeting. "Your last meeting was canceled due to an emergency. So, we're heading to the hotel right away."