After stepping out of the restaurant, Xander walked down the long, quiet hallway and dialed his father's number. The call was answered before the third ring.
"Hey, brat! You finally remember you have a father?" Master Greens' booming voice echoed through the speaker.
"Hello, Dad..."
"Hey, brother!" his elder brother, Zack, cut in. "When are you finally bringing our sister-in-law home to meet us?"
"And don't you dare try to give us another excuse," his younger brother chimed in laughingly.
"Seriously, I'm tired of being the only girl around here," his younger sister, Amy, complained. "Mommy is always glued to Daddy, leaving me completely bored. Bring my new gossip partner home already!"
Xander swallowed hard, trying to mask the raw bitterness in his voice. "Relax, everyone. She cheated on me. I caught her with some rich guy. So... I'm sorry, but I'm coming home alone. No sister-in-law, no daughter-in-law, and no wife."
The line went completely silent for a moment.
"My son," his father said, his tone turning fiercely protective. "Just come back home. I won't pressure you about marriage ever again."
"Yes, brother, it's her loss," Amy added fiercely. "That woman isn't worth your time anyway. Besides, don't forget that the young miss of the Reed family is still single..."
"Man, nobody in high society has even seen a photo of that girl," his younger brother laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Come back and hunt her down, brother. Make her our sister-in-law!"
"Exactly, big head. Come on home. Your actual sister-in-law is expecting a baby, we need you here," Zack added warmly.
Xander felt a wave of relief wash over him. "All of you stay safe. I'll be joining you soon. Bye."
"Bye, big head. Remember, we've always got your back," they chorused before hanging up.
Xander stared at his phone, his thoughts drifting to the mysterious daughter of the Reed family. A slow smirk spread across his face, and he began to smile from ear to ear.
Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, Xander thought. If the Avery family thinks I'm an easy target to play with, they're about to find out how badly they miscalculated.
A few hours later, at the Avery family estate...
"Grandpa, how are you?" Zeenat greeted the old man nervously.
"I am well, my dearest. How are things with you?" Old Master Avery asked, looking up.
"I'm not doing so well, Grandpa," she murmured.
"Why is that? Did my grandson-in-law do something wrong?" the old man asked. He had always known Xander was no ordinary man; nobody from a regular background could have survived where they first met.
"Well... Grandpa..."
Before Zeenat could spin her lie, the front doors burst open. A towering, heavily built man stepped into the room, radiating pure authority.
"Our apologies for the intrusion on the Avery family," the man announced, his voice vibrating through the room. "But our Second Young Master has sent us to deliver a message to you, Old Master Avery."
The man, known in the underworld as The Beast, stepped forward and placed an exquisite, antique wooden box on the table. "He sends his regards, but the engagement is officially off. He caught your granddaughter cheating with a man named Simon Powell in a restaurant today."
The second-in-command stepped up next. "The Second Young Master also said to give you this box of Bone Relaxing Pills. Take them, and you will possess the vitality of a forty-five-year-old man again."
Old Master Avery stared at the box, his heart sinking. "And who exactly is this Second Young Master you speak of?"
"We serve the Second Young Master of the Greens family, Xander Greens," The Beast replied smoothly.
The old man closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping his chest. "I knew it. I knew a young man with his presence could never be a mere delivery boy. But my own family was too blind to recognize the treasure standing right in front of them. Tell him I am deeply grateful for his grace, and I pray he finds a woman truly worthy of his loyalty."
With a look of profound disappointment at Zeenat, the old man took the box and retreated to his study.
"Thank you, Sir. We will take our leave," The Beast said.
As they turned to depart, panic finally gripped Zeenat. She chased after them, blocking the door. "Wait! Where is Xander?!"
"The Second Young Master is already on his private jet, heading back to the capital," The Beast replied coldly. "He is gone."
They walked right past her, leaving Zeenat frozen in the hallway. Her elaborate plan to blame Xander for the breakup had completely shattered.
"Well, well, well, dear elder sister," her younger sister scoffed, leaning against the staircase with a smirk. "Are the regrets finally kicking in? When I begged you to treat my future brother-in-law with some respect, what did you and Mommy do? You laughed. Now look—the ultimate golden opportunity just slipped right through your fingers. I can't wait to see how our materialistic mother handles this."
"Shut up! What do you know?!" Zeenat screamed, her voice trembling. "He'll come back to me! For all we know, those men were just actors he hired!"
"Actors?" her sister laughed, shaking her head. "I once accidentally overheard him giving orders on the phone. That masked man, The Beast, is one of the most feared right-hand men in the country. You really blew it." She turned and walked upstairs.
A few moments later, the front door clicked open again.
"Where is that useless piece of trash?! How is this house still a mess when we have a freeloader living here?!" Sarah, Zeenat's mother, shouted loudly as she dropped her shopping bags.
"Mommy, you're home," Zeenat said, her voice sounding entirely drained.
"Yes, and I'm exhausted! Where is that boy? Tell him I need a foot massage right now, and my dinner needs to be on the table in thirty minutes," Sarah barked.
The younger sister walked back out onto the landing, highly amused. "Haha! Oh, Mommy... Zeenat, you haven't broken the news to her yet?"
"What news? And why are you laughing?" Sarah snapped at her younger daughter. "You're just as lazy as he is. I am so unfortunate to have raised such ungrateful children."
"Oh, we'll see who's unfortunate once Zeenat tells you the truth," the sister replied, completely unfazed.
Sarah turned her gaze back to her eldest. "Baby girl, what is she talking about?"
Zeenat stared at the floor, tears of frustration building up. "Mommy... Xander is gone. He broke off the engagement and left."
Sarah paused, then let out a sharp laugh. "Good! At least the trash figured out where it belongs. He was bound to leave sooner or later; I couldn't stand watching my beautiful daughter suffer with a nobody. Now, listen to me—you need to put all your effort into winning Simon Powell back, understand? You must marry into the Powell family. He's wealthy, and he's been waiting for you."
"Mommy, that's where you're completely wrong," the younger sister called down from the stairs, flashing a dangerous smile. "Because that 'nobody' fiancé you just threw out happens to be the heir to a billionaire empire."