Chapter 1380

“Don’t worry. With you by my side, I won’t belittle myself again. You’re the best, and what you’ve given me has always been the best.” Aurora looked at Lucas as she spoke these heartfelt words.

Only then did a satisfied smile appear on his face. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her into the banquet hall.

As the two stepped out of the car, every gaze in the room shifted toward them.

No one knew the woman beside Lucas, but everyone knew Lucas himself. He had never brought a woman to a family banquet before; sometimes he hadn’t even attended at all. Now, showing up suddenly with a woman at his side, people’s curiosity burned—who was she? Why had no rumors or whispers surfaced before? Was she someone who had suddenly appeared to compete for inheritance?

Someone deliberately stepped forward to greet Lucas.

“Lucas, it’s been such a long time. What made you decide to attend the family banquet this time?”

At the voice, Lucas only cast a cool glance and said, “You just said it yourself—it’s a family banquet. Without me, do you think that’s appropriate?”

With one sentence, the man was completely shut down.

But Lucas was right—without him, it couldn’t even be called a family banquet. He was the head of the family now. His grandfather, Philip Carter, and Edward had both stepped back from the forefront; it was Lucas who carried everything on his own.

The man’s mouth twitched as he gave an awkward explanation. “Yes, that’s my mistake. Look at you, Lucas, why are you still so serious? I’m your relative.”

He tried to use seniority to pressure Lucas, but Lucas didn’t bite at all, his tone even more disdainful. “And which distant relative are you supposed to be? I don’t remember you at all. By your logic, does everyone with my surname count as my family?”

This time, the man was utterly defeated. Lucas’ words cut deep, leaving him no choice but to slink away.

His family quickly pulled him aside.

“Why did you have to provoke him? Do you think he’s someone we can afford to offend? You’d better learn to keep your head down.”

Even his own children scolded him.

“Dad, why are you making trouble for me? Don’t you realize I finally got promoted to a team leader at Vanguard Group? If you keep this up, you’ll ruin everything. You’ll destroy the only hope our family has.”

But the man refused to repent, his face twisted with frustration. “I never thought Lucas would be this ruthless. We’re relatives, after all. We share the same surname, so why is the difference in treatment so vast?”

His wife tapped him on the head, gritting her teeth as she spoke. “So, what if you share the same surname? You’re nothing more than a distant branch. Do you really think having the name Carter makes you equal to the main family? Just being allowed to attend this banquet is already more than we deserve. Be satisfied. All you’re doing is dragging your son down. Beyond that, you accomplish nothing. Recognizing your place isn’t a weakness; it’s survival.”

Chastened by her scolding, the man had no choice but to face the truth of his standing.