In the end, Reed still didn't go to find Alton and the others.
Moreover, he didn't even have time to eat the meal downstairs.
Because his cheap father - Vic Brooks had come home.
He could only go to Vic's place.
Since the Brooks family's residence covered a large area, in order to avoid seeing his stepmother as much as possible on a daily basis, Reed didn't live with them.
However, although he lived in a relatively remote location, Vic had equipped him with the best things.
Even though Vic was disappointed in this good-for-nothing son, he had never treated him unfairly.
In the spacious and luxurious dining room of the Brooks family, the family of four sat around the huge dining table.
For Reed, it was the first time ever to gather with these so-called family members.
Vic was nearly forty years old, with a tall and burly figure.
Although time had left some faint marks on his face, it still couldn't conceal the handsome outline of his youth.
That air of authority as a person in a high position, which emanated from the inside out, made people dare not look directly at him even when he showed no emotion on his face.
It was clearly the result of having been in a high position for a long time.
His stepmother, Diana, took good care of herself. At the age of over thirty, she looked as if she were a young girl in her early twenties. Her golden hair was dazzling, her blue eyes were deep and charming, and her appearance was bright and charming.
Just as people said, those who could become stepmothers were usually quite good-looking.
As for the cheap younger brother, Theo Brooks, although he was only thirteen years old, he had already grown into a delicate and handsome boy. His clothes were neat and proper, looking exactly like a little cute boy.
Theo didn't need to go to school like ordinary children. All kinds of private tutors hired by the family were always ready to provide him with one-on-one elite education.
And Theo really lived up to expectations. He was excellent in every subject. He was born with extraordinary intelligence and an outstanding memory.
He could almost remember everything he had learned at a glance. He was undoubtedly the pride of the Brooks family.
As soon as they sat down at the dining table, Vic's eyes fell on Theo and he began to ask him carefully about his academic situation.
"Theo, how is your academic progress these days?" Vic's voice was deep yet full of concern.
"Theo has been doing exceptionally well in his studies lately, and all his teachers are full of praise for him! At his current level, even if he were to go to those top schools, he would definitely be among the top students,"
Diana couldn't wait to interject before Theo could respond, her face glowing with an unmistakable joy, as if she were showing off her most precious treasure.
Upon hearing this, Vic nodded slightly, his eyes filled with satisfaction, and he said concisely and forcefully,"Good, keep it up."
Then, a glimmer of expectation flashed in his eyes as he looked at Theo and continued,"You're not that young anymore, and in the future, you can try getting involved in the company's management affairs. In a while, I'll have Secretary Vera come over to guide you, so you can become familiar with the company's situation as soon as possible."
As the mayor of Calais, Vic's influence far exceeds ordinary people's imagination, and his holdings are countless, with almost half of the city's industries under his control, showing his significant impact.
Vera Kennedy is a very capable subordinate of Vic's.
Having her teach Theo could be considered a waste of talent, but it also shows how much Vic values Theo.
"Really? That's just wonderful!" Diana's excitement raised her voice a notch, and her smile was more radiant than a chrysanthemum.
As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Reed, who was sitting beside her, with a sidelong look that was unmistakably showing off.
But Reed seemed to not notice this at all, preoccupied with shoveling food into his mouth.
After the recent commotion, his stomach was already empty, and at this moment, nothing was more important to him than having a good meal.
As for the performance of this family of three, he simply didn't bother to care.
Seeing Reed's indifferent demeanor, Diana became even more complacent.
Vic's gaze also swept over to Reed at this moment, a trace of imperceptible helplessness flashed deep in his eyes, and then he sighed softly.
It seemed as if he no longer held much hope for his eldest son and quickly shifted his attention back to his youngest son, on whom he placed the most expectations.
However, when his gaze fell on Theo, he noticed that the boy seemed to have something on his mind, hesitating as if he wanted to say something, which made him frown slightly.
His voice also carried a hint of doubt and authority:"What's the matter? Speak up if you have something to say, don't hesitate."
Theo's eyes quickly glanced at Diana, and his fingers unconsciously clenched the corner of his clothes tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the effort.
He bit his lower lip slightly, as if making some kind of resolution, took a deep breath, and mustered the courage to speak:"Dad, I... I want to go to school!"
"What? No way, I absolutely disagree!" Diana seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost screaming the moment Theo finished speaking.
She widened her eyes, her face full of disbelief and panic, as if the request Theo made was absurdly outrageous.
"How can those teachers at school compare with the private tutors at home? In that messy place called school, what real skills can you learn?"
Diana's speech was extremely fast, and her words burst out like a string of firecrackers.
"Besides, Secretary Vera will come to teach you about the company's affairs soon.
How can you afford to waste your energy running back and forth between school and home?
You're already so old. Why are you becoming more and more thoughtless!
What's more, there are plenty of bad kids at school.
What if you are led astray by them and turn into a good-for-nothing who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun like your elder brother?
Then everything will be ruined!"
When she said the last sentence, there was even a hint of disgust in her eyes, as if Reed was something disgusting.
Reed was eating with great relish when suddenly, he heard this huge blame being thrown at him out of the blue.
His eating movement came to an abrupt halt.
He frowned tightly and a flash of displeasure appeared in his eyes.
Originally, he thought that he could just stay out of their way and didn't want to get involved in the farce of these people.
But if they insisted on looking for trouble and wanted to take advantage of him as if he were a pushover, then he would never swallow this insult easily.
Reed straightened his body and leaned heavily back against the chair.
He casually placed one hand on the armrest of the chair, with a look of laziness and nonchalance on his face.
Just as he was about to fight back, Vic got in before him.
"Diana, shut your mouth!" Vic's face was terrifyingly gloomy, his brows tightly knotted, and his voice was as cold and hard as ice chips in the dead of winter.
His reprimand echoed in the dining room, causing a buzzing in people's ears.
Diana seemed to be awakened by the rebuke, belatedly realizing her improper behavior and words just now, her face alternating between pale and flushed.
She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something more to salvage the situation, but under Vic's authoritative gaze, she finally, albeit reluctantly, closed her mouth, her eyes still filled with strong dissatisfaction and unwillingness.
"Tell me your reasons," Vic's voice regained some calmness, but still carried an undeniable tone, refocusing his gaze on Theo, his eyes filled with scrutiny and inquiry.