Ava walked to the lake where Anthony was sitting, throwing rocks into the otherwise calm lake.
"You seem so disturbed, what's wrong?" She asked, sitting beside him.
She had not gone to work since they returned, preferring to work from home, just so that she could accompany him.
Anthony didn't turn around to greet her, pretending not to notice her presence. He had been thinking about Priscilla. He missed and yearned for his wicked, unfaithful wife, despite knowing how much she hated him. Despite the things she had put him through, he still loved her. That was why it hurt so much.
Love is a bastard! It could make even the strongest of hearts to crumble under the weight of its' painful torture.
"When I saw you being sad, I assumed it was because of the situation. But now, you're out of that horrible place. You regained your identity as the heir of the richest and most powerful family in the world, the dragon prince himself. You should be happy and count your fortunes. But I have never seen you smile. Your frown seems to be carved into a rock, an everlasting sadness. The sadness and bitterness in your eyes are overwhelming. You should cheer up, if not for anything else, but for the fact that you have regained your identity and family after years of being lonely." Ava continued, undeterred by his actions of ignoring and giving her the cold shoulder.
Anthony smiled. Even though it was a sad smile, it still made Ava's heart race. That was one of the perks of being handsome and charismatic; people get easily attracted to you.
"Money is no substance to me. I lost the only person that could have made this news worthwhile" he said calmly.
"The person died?" Ava asked, feigning ignorance. Anthony shook his head and sighed, not knowing how to explain his complicated relationship with Priscilla to her.
"You know, I have been wondering where I met you. But I remember now. You're the man whose wife slapped in the shopping mall." She said bluntly, looking straight at him.
Anthony was immediately shocked and turned to stare at her.
"I was inspecting some new products that came in from the factories when I saw you. Forget that woman, she's an ugly, lowly, useless cheat. She doesn't deserve a man like you. With your new status, millions of beautiful and exceptional women in the world will flock to you." Ava whispered, trying to console him.
Anthony smiled.
"Beauty is never rare. Priscilla is indeed beautiful, but beauty was not my reason for keeping her. Beautiful women abound on earth. Priscilla was my first love, she will probably be the last. The only woman I will ever love. It hurts to know that all she showed me that brought me to my knees, worshiping her, were all fake. It was a façade she pulled to fool me. She even poisoned me and sold me to those men. It hurts a lot. She's my only family, the only person I love. You won't understand my pain anyway." He whispered, looking up at the sky.
"I do. I understand. You're a powerful man and love should not be your priority. From now on, your duty is to the whole world and you must focus on being invincible. Your journey has just begun. And love is not the goal; power is. Forget love and focus on power. Get so powerful that she will die with regret at seeing your light. You were born as the sun surrounded by the moon and stars. It should stay that way. Steel your heart to be merciless. Women are nothing but scums beneath your feet. They can only serve you according to your terms. Your life is an adventure. A journey to the very apex, and it just started!" She said firmly, looking at him with a gaze that seemed to say all she spewed out were facts.
"Scums beneath my feet? Does that include you?" He asked, mocking her.
"Yes, of course." Ava whispered, swallowing her humiliation.
"How can you admit to such a thing? Where is your dignity?" He asked with a frown, not expecting her prompt reply. She didn't hesitate to admit that she was dirt beneath his feet, throwing away her self respect, an act which baffled Anthony. Especially when it was coming from Ava, a woman known for being proud and domineering.
"But that's the truth. In this lifetime, I can only be your servant, obediently following and protecting you as you reach for the sky. It was my fate from the moment I was born." She declared firmly, her voice filled with conviction. Even though it hurts to acknowledge that she was beneath someone else, she will never forget her duty.
"If you must make her regret, and ensure no woman will ever dare to insult or look down on you again, you must take your role with vigor and dedication. There are people in the Meyer family that do not want to witness your return. Your cousins and brothers will try to kill you the moment you return because you're the legitimate dragon heir. They grew up experiencing the splendor of the dragon clan, do you think they will willingly hand over all that power to you? Everyone there is powerful, talented, and well connected, scheming their way to the peak. You must fight and subdue them to solidify your position. Or even stay alive. Being Stephen Meyers doesn't just bring wealth, it brings pain, duty, betrayals and a bitter fight to secure what's yours. You cannot hesitate. You need to forget about love and go for power, embrace who you are and fight to regain control." Ava said firmly, holding his arm like a mother instructing an ignorant child.
"Every woman will kill themselves to be with you once you succeed. But to reclaim your birthright and ensure a woman you love will never leave you again, you have to become five things. The richest, the strongest, the most powerful, the most knowledgeable, and the most influential. And it starts now." Ava continued.
Anthony's depressed, dead heart immediately stirred as a hunger arose in him. No woman will ever dare to hurt him again.
"I will be the richest, the strongest, the most powerful, the most knowledgeable, and the most influential!" He affirmed, his eyes shining brightly as the path before him became clearer.
His adventure just began. Even if the road will be lonely, he will make it to the top and shine brightly while he's at it. His smile awoke a hunger in Ava which she quickly tamped down. She will never dare have any lustful thoughts towards him, he was out of her league and is destined for greater things. A dragon deserves a Phoenix. Even if she was hailed as the most talented and powerful heiress in the continent, she knew that she was not qualified to be that woman.
"That's right! No matter where you are, you must always stand at the apex, being looked up to by others. An unreachable dream worshiped by the world. You must always stand at the top. It is what you were born for, it is your life's goal and mission." Ava added and looked away from his lips, reminding herself of her fate and position as his servant. Rich and powerful young mistress of the Smith family? What a joke! Inside the house she was simply the slave of the man beside her.
Anthony found it funny that a woman just listed his goals for him and he was perfectly okay with it. He had finally found that thing deep inside his heart worth fighting for. This woman just helped him analyze his desires. And unlike other things he has ever done, he had a feeling he would enjoy this journey immensely.
"The Meyer family is here!" A steward announced.
Anthony looked up, watching the convoy in the air, three jets and ten helicopters were moving towards the smith manor.
"That's your mom's entourage. She personally came for her son!" Ava exclaimed as her eyes fixed itself to the jet in the middle.
Mom? Was this the warm family he yearned so much for? Or will they be a vicious snake pit? Will they strike him while pretending to support him?