Anthony didn't have to stay long with his so-called family to realize that most of them didn't like him. Beneath the mandatory respect they showed him as the future patriarch, they hated him and saw him like an outsider.
Even his mother's reaction was lukewarm.
Apart from the initial hug and 'is this really my dear son?', which she kept exclaiming after the DNA test, she never showed any other signs of being happy to see him. Rather, she spent hours lecturing Tony on his conducts. She let him know that apart from his status as the master, he has nothing to be proud of as the others were all more exceptional than he is. They were a family of cultivators, while she was damn sure Anthony had never cultivated in his life.
He even went bankrupt after signing his wealth to his wife, so he didn't have material achievements either, making her incredibly embarrassed for her useless son. The thoughts going through her mind when she saw the results of the investigation carried out on Anthony were, 'I can't believe I gave birth to a useless and stupid son who disgraced us so much while outside. He even let a woman from the gutters boss him around, how will he survive in the powerful Meyer family? Such a son was not worth supporting, I better channel my energy to the more promising one.'
Ava had quickly brought the investigation results of his new family members to Anthony, hoping it would assist him in settling in. Most people were not happy about his return. They were hoping to replace him once he was not found, only for Ava to disappoint them. Once he returns to Southern Dale, the underhanded battle for the inheritance will officially begin.
But for now, they were still in the Hill country. Madam Meyer had things she wanted to do.
******
Anthony walked out of the mansion and saw a convoy of sports cars waiting for him with numerous guards. He counted ten cars which included porsche, lamborghini, ferrari, bugattis and two rolls-royce. He entered the rolls-royce in the middle, and the guards shut the door after him.
Anthony wasn't eager to return to southern Dale which he knows will be his first battlefield. So when he heard about the municipal ball, where all the powerful families and business men gather per year, he jumped on the invite hoping to delay his return.
His mother had immediately approved. Even though she considered the so-called powerful families beneath them, making new connections won't hurt, to increase his sphere of influence in hill city. After all, a local snake is more powerful than a dragon in its lair.
Anthony sighed as his phone rang again. Ava kept calling him, making him feel irritated.
"I'm in front of the municipal hall." He snapped impatiently as he got down from the rolls-royce. A guard who was appointed as his new assistant followed him, while others gawked at the lavish display of expensive cars following one very handsome man.
"Who is that man? Why doesn't he seem familiar? Which of the families is he from?" A woman asked, rushing to the steward checking the invite.
The steward ignored her but she smiled and shoved a bundle of dollars into his pocket.
"He's Stephen Meyers, the prince of the almighty Meyer clan of southern Dale. He just returned to his family after his mandatory training." He said casually, making the woman stagger.
Others may not know the Meyers of Southern Dale, but she does. Her powerful Yue family once had to kneel before their city gate, begging for forgiveness for twenty-one days, when one of them mistakenly pushed down the patriarch's niece in a mall.
She wiped the sweat on her forehead and quickly ran away, canceling her plans of trying to seduce him. Playing with such dangerous people can end you before you know it.
Anthony stared at the limited edition patek watch on his wrist. It was the only one in the world. He had been really unhappy when the stylists were dressing him up and changing his wardrobe. But now that he saw his current appearance, he decided that the effort was worth it. His handsome royal look was now filled with confidence, and an aura of power.
"You little disgrace of a man, are you still following me around? Why did they let you go? Wait, how did you sneak in here without an invite? You lowlife. Leave quickly and don't embarrass me, otherwise I will call the security on you. You better not ruin this night after my meticulous efforts to get an invite." Priscilla spat as she walked angrily towards him.
The guard following Anthony in the shadows frowned, but since Anthony has not called for him, he must remain hidden.
Anthony stared at the beautiful woman before him. She was looking heavenly in her floor length black gown which exposed her back, neck and breasts. She had expensive looking fur wrapped around her arm.
However, for the first time ever, he felt nothing for her. Unlike the past when he would get an erection the moment he saw her, or feel like rushing to her arms, his heart felt nothing but cold. It was no longer beating in excitement.
He tried to hold back his disgust and continued to sip his wine, ignoring her. She angrily kicked him, feeling frustrated. Her fiance hated seeing Anthony, so she doesn't want him to be angry or think she was still seeing her useless ex-husband.
People have begun to watch the spectacle. Yue li frowned and wondered which blind idiot was attacking the heir. People watched the woman angrily kicking the handsome man who stood stoically, like a stone pillar, calmly sipping his wine while the woman ranted and raved. It was as if he couldn't see or feel her, making her actions hilarious.
Priscilla gritted her teeth and walked to the steward. He came with guards to kick out the intruder. However, when he saw it was Anthony, he shook in fright.
He didn't know it was Anthony, so he had let the woman attack him without interfering.
"Young master, should we throw her out?" He asked humbly, making Priscilla frown. When did Anthony turn into a young master?