Jeremiah nodded without hesitation. "For sure—even if it's against the doctor's orders!"

With that, everyone followed the three elders into the villa, where the long table in the dining hall had already been laden with a ton of exquisite dishes.

Keith led Jeremiah to sit beside him, pouring him and then himself a full glass, before turning to Charlie and his children, "You kids must drink tonight as well!"

Hearing that, Charlie got up and poured for his uncles, aunt, and Merlin, while Keith picked up his glass and nodded at Jeremiah. "Here, I earnestly apologize for my family's many transgressions against you over the years, old friend. Please don't hold it against us!"

Jeremiah nodded. He had certainly been harassed plenty by the Ackers over the years, with even Kaeden not showing him due respect despite being younger at an important conference.

Still, he knew how to be objective when it came to dealing with people, and he understood that the Ackers resented him because Ashley h