Shin pushed Saeki away, looking annoyed, before fixing Ellis with a cold gaze.
"How could I not be alive?"
Ellis flinched, instinctively taking a step back.
"Shin, where have you been all this time? If you were fine, why didn't you inform anyone? Do you have any idea how much your disappearance has affected the company and the clan in just a few days?" the Grand Elder demanded angrily.
"Indeed. Just a few days, and you could hardly wait to divide my assets, dump all the blame on my fiancée, strip her of her inheritance under my will, and make her the scapegoat." Shin's words prompted the elders to avert their gazes.
"How could you say that?" Elli's wife argued. "There were so many coincidences, and everyone was anxious. We only overreacted because we care about you!"
"Care about me?" Shin chuckled. "Aren't you afraid Hadi would crawl out of his grave if he heard his own mother saying that?"
Elli's wife choked on her words, intimidated by Shin's bone-piercing gaze.
"Shin, this isn't the right time for this," the Grand Elder interjected. "Since you're already here, hurry up and clarify the situation. Just say it was all a misunderstanding. Besides, it's not too late to proceed with the wedding."
The others immediately chimed in, nodding and speaking over one another. Suddenly, they seemed far more concerned about salvaging the family's reputation and avoiding further media scrutiny.
One thing Shin could agree with was that this was supposed to be the most important moment for him and Yeri. Nothing else mattered.
He would deal with everything else later.
All the people responsible for the wedding preparations, including the top designer, makeup artists, and other staff, were already waiting for the ceremony to begin.
"Wedding?" Ellis suddenly shouted, refusing to let the matter rest. "Is this wedding more important than the fact that Shin has been hiding all this time, arrogantly watching while everyone else was left in turmoil? Is this how the CEO of KGG is supposed to conduct himself?"
He paused briefly before pressing on.
"And what about Tristan? Where is he? Is he part of this farce too? Have any of you considered the employees, friends, and clients who have been affected? What about the people who have spent the past few days scrambling to deal with the consequences of his disappearance? What was the point of hiding in the first place?"
Turning toward the elders, Ellis continued, his voice growing more impassioned.
"You've dedicated your entire lives to this clan. Even behind the scenes, you've worked tirelessly to ensure our ironclad rules are upheld. So why are you allowing someone who should respect you, understand that you only want what's best for him, and revere your authority to act as though he's above you all?"
His gaze swept across the elders before settling on Shin again. "If you ask me, Allister, Yeri, and several others close to Shin were all in on this together. They deliberately played us for fools just to prove a point: that this clan cannot function without him! If you continue indulging him like this, won't he eventually trample over every single one of you?"
The elders, who had been eager to put an end to the confrontation, were suddenly stirred by his accusations. Their expressions darkened as the possibility of having been deliberately deceived took hold.
After all, as outstanding as Shin was, he had never been an easy person to control. More than once, he had disregarded their opinions and ignored their orders.
Seeing the change in their expressions, Ellis gloated inwardly.
He knew these old geezers couldn't stand anyone challenging their authority, especially someone powerful enough to threaten their position within the clan.
"No matter what, this isn't the right place or time to discuss our family affairs," Allister intervened. "Unless, of course, we all enjoy standing here like clowns on a stage while the public judges us."
The Grand Elder took a deep breath, having reached the limits of his patience. However, before he could speak, Ellis cut in again.
"Shin's deliberate disappearance is not merely a private family matter. He's the CEO of a conglomerate. He has responsibilities not only to this family but also to everyone affected by his actions! Do you think all the people who've spent the past few days covering for him, handling his deals, dealing with clients, and cleaning up the mess will suddenly have everything fall back into place just because he's returned? What about the financial losses and all the other problems the company has suffered? Someone has to take accountability, and that someone is naturally Shin!"
He turned toward Shin, a sneer spreading across his face.
"I don't think someone who disregards his duties deserves to remain seated on his lofty throne just because he's the CEO. All this, simply to stage some tragic romance and grand display of love? I'd say he's lost his mind over Yeri Zhi and completely lost sight of his priorities."
"So eager to replace me, Uncle? I've heard that you and your faction have been rather active lately." Shin asked coolly, "Honestly, that's quite commendable for someone who's such a coward."
"You!" Ellis jabbed a finger at him, his face twisting with anger. "Enough with your sharp tongue and entitled arrogance! Your clever words won't save you this time!"
Shin turned his attention to the guests instead.
"Why do you think Bryce Gate, a fugitive pursued by federal authorities and wanted internationally, with no legitimate source of funds, managed to obtain my confidential schedule? How did he find the time to intercept my flight, cause multiple casualties, and hijack my plane?"
The guests exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves as they pondered his questions.
The incident had already made the news, but few details had been disclosed. Every subsequent update had been the same: the investigation was ongoing.
However, Ellis had suddenly gone rigid.
"Why do you think, Uncle?" Shin continued, his tone almost conversational. "You should know better than anyone. After all, you were the one who paid someone to leak my schedule, knowing Bryce was simply waiting for the right opportunity."
Shin delivered the accusation so casually that many initially thought they had misheard him.
Gradually, however, the entire venue fell silent. Shocked faces turned toward Shin, everyone straining to hear what he would say next.
"Bullshit!"
Ellis's furious shout echoed through the hall, but the hint of panic in his eyes betrayed him.
"Now that I'm openly calling you out for your behaviour, you're trying to shift the blame onto me? That's a serious accusation! Where's your evidence?!"
Shin stared intently at him.
For a brief moment, Ellis thought Shin had nothing to back up his claims. He was certain he hadn't left behind anything that could be traced back to him.
Then, without warning, the massive black LED screen behind them suddenly lit up.
A burst of static crackled through the speakers before a man's mocking voice filled the hall.
"Oh, Shin. You really think no one in the Keir clan hates you? Then you couldn't be more wrong. Apart from that brain of yours, there's really nothing likeable about you. Do you honestly think those old geezers care about you? No. It's only because you've brought them the greatest benefits that they've loosened your leash. But your arrogance has made you overlook the people who've wanted you gone for years, simply because you stand in the way of their succession."
The man's contemptuous laughter rang through the speakers.
"Anyway, if you somehow survive today, give my regards to Ellis Keir. He's been a tremendous help by giving me your schedule."
The voice paused, sounding almost amused.
"Come to think of it, I should thank him for convincing that old hag to send me abroad after the fire. I failed to kill both of you back then, so consider this my chance to make things right."
The guests might not have understood the full implications of the recording, but the Keirs certainly did.
That voice belonged to Bryce Gate.
And the old hag he had mentioned was none other than Elder Madam Keir.
Back then, Ellis had been among those who strongly opposed sending Bryce to juvenile detention, insisting that doing so would damage the family's reputation.
But the truth was far uglier than that excuse.
It had never really been about protecting the Keir name. Ellis had simply enjoyed watching his own brother, Allister, drown in despair and misery, trapped in a marriage with the very woman connected to Celestine's death, while Bryce, the person responsible for the tragedy, was merely sent away.
"Fake! It's all fake!" Ellis screamed at the top of his lungs. "How could you possibly have recorded that when Bryce had you and Tristan held hostage? This is absurd! Someone fabricated all of this!"
Allister had heard only one thing clearly: Ellis had leaked his son's schedule.
Without hesitation, he stormed forward and punched Ellis in the face.
The guests erupted into screams. Several people rushed to separate the two men, and with so many people intervening, the fight was quickly brought under control.
"Whether you believe it's fake or not is irrelevant. I've already submitted all the evidence to the authorities, including the black box," Shin stated coldly.
All the colour drained from Ellis's face.
Even so, he forced himself to suppress his panic and continued trying to defend himself.
"Bryce has always hated the Keirs! Of course he'd spout nonsense to make us suspect one another and destroy our family from within. He no longer has the means to approach any of us, let alone attempt to kill you. Have you forgotten? He's the one who falsely claimed that I conspired with Klaus Zhi to murder your mother! You know perfectly well that wasn't the truth!"
Shin ignored him. Instead, he glanced at his watch before turning toward Yeri. "Why are you still here?"
Yeri parted her lips but thought otherwise.
She had noticed something was wrong when Shin embraced her earlier. Beneath his seemingly unscathed appearance, his body had felt tense, as though he were enduring considerable pain.
Could he have been seriously injured and was simply forcing himself to appear unharmed?
"Shin! I've had enough of you constantly shifting the blame onto my family! I think you deliberately disappeared for these past few days so you could scheme in secret and fabricate evidence against my father!" Hiro also chimed in.
Shin didn't even spare him a glance.
His complete disregard only infuriated Hiro further, and his attention shifted to Yeri.
In a sudden fit of rage, he shoved her with all his strength.