Rise From Prison: Taking Over the Business Empire

Chapter 8: The Pathetic Gift

After finishing his sentence, Theseus realized this was beyond his ability to handle, so he simply shut the door.

Standing outside, Joanna Kennedy bit her lip in frustration. She was unwilling to give up so easily, but she couldn't force the chairman of Horizon Group to comply.

Inside the villa, Anthony dialed Caroline Hill’s number.

"Caroline," he said calmly, "I’ve divorced Freya Mitchell. However, I still want the project competition to be conducted fairly. That said… keep an eye on the Mitchell family. Let’s see if they truly have the strength to compete."

With that, he hung up without waiting for a reply.

On the other end of the line, Caroline Hill furrowed her brows slightly, contemplating the implications of Anthony’s words.

Was the chairman suggesting she extend some favor to the Mitchell family? Did this mean he still harbored feelings for Freya Mitchell?

The thought made Caroline hesitant for only a moment before she gave the order—her subordinates were to conduct a thorough investigation into the Mitchell family’s capabilities. Furthermore, she personally instructed that they be invited to the grand banquet in three days.

Inside the villa, Anthony sat with his phone in hand, lost in thought.

After a long silence, he exhaled deeply.

Freya Mitchell... this will be the last time I help you. Whether or not your family can seize this opportunity—that’s up to your own strength.

---

Meanwhile, upon returning home, Joanna Kennedy immediately called Freya Mitchell.

She recounted her encounter at Villa One in Crystal Haven, mentioning that she had found the chairman of Horizon Group—and that Anthony had been there as well.

Hearing this, Freya Mitchell froze. "Anthony was there?"

Joanna Kennedy scoffed, "That guy was just looking for work. Who knows what kind of dumb luck he stumbled upon to end up at Villa One? He’s probably just doing janitorial work there."

"Janitorial work?"

Freya Mitchell frowned deeply.

Hadn't she given Anthony $10 million? How could he have fallen so low that he needed to clean houses for a living?

And not just any house—he was working at the chairman of Horizon Group’s villa.

Could it be… he was still trying to help her?

The thought unsettled her.

"Joanna, I want to go to Villa One," Freya Mitchell said.

Joanna Kennedy quickly interjected, "Not tonight, Freya. I already spoke to the chairman, but he was firm in his stance. We won’t be able to persuade him so easily. But don’t worry—now that we know who he is, we still have a chance to negotiate."

Freya Mitchell considered this and gradually calmed down.

After hanging up, she hesitated for a moment before dialing Anthony’s number.

At Crystal Haven’s Villa One, Anthony’s phone suddenly rang. Seeing the caller ID, his brows furrowed slightly before he pressed to answer.

"Miss Mitchell, what do you need?"

His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.

Freya Mitchell’s tone was equally icy. "Come to the house tonight. Grandpa wants to see you."

At her words, Anthony fell silent.

Back when he was part of the Mitchell family, old Mr. Mitchell was the only one who truly treated him as family. The old man had always defended him, even when the rest of the family looked down on him.

By all rights, Anthony should have visited him the moment he was released from prison. But after the divorce, he had lost the desire to face the Mitchell family.

Taking a deep breath, he finally said, "I understand. I’ll be there tonight."

"Good," Freya replied coldly. "Grandpa doesn’t know about our divorce yet. When you’re here, watch what you say. Now isn’t the time to tell him—don’t make him worry."

"I know."

With that, Anthony ended the call.

This would be his final visit to the Mitchell family. Tonight, he would bid farewell to the old man.

Turning to Theseus, he asked, "Is there anything in this villa that would make for a decent gift? I need to bring something."

Theseus blinked, then suddenly nodded. "Actually, there is!"

He gestured around the villa. "Master, all these antique vases were gifted to Miss Hill by wealthy collectors in Silverhaven City. Each piece is worth millions. Would that standard suffice?"

Anthony glanced around at the various ceramics, searching carefully before settling on an aged yet well-preserved tea set.

He remembered—Grandpa loved tea.

Back when he was in the Mitchell family, he hadn't had the money to give him a proper gift.

Tonight, at least, he wouldn’t go empty-handed.

Theseus grinned. "Master, that tea set is no ordinary item. It once belonged to a king centuries ago. It surfaced at a Silverhaven City auction last year, and Miss Hill bought it for $50 million to furnish the villa for you."

"$50 million?"

Anthony was taken aback.

But upon closer inspection, he had to admit—the craftsmanship was exquisite.

---

As night fell, Anthony drove to the Mitchell family estate.

From a distance, he spotted Freya Mitchell standing at the entrance.

For a moment, he thought she was waiting for him.

But then—

A sleek Ferrari roared past his car and pulled up at the front gate.

Isaiah Harris stepped out, his movements brisk and confident.

The moment Freya saw him, a soft smile appeared on her lips as she walked forward to greet him.

Anthony’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected Isaiah Harris to be invited to the Mitchell family dinner.

Parking his car, Anthony stepped out, just in time to meet Isaiah Harris’s gaze.

"Anthony?" Isaiah frowned. He, too, was carrying a gift box. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Before Anthony could respond, Freya quickly interjected, "Mr. Harris, I invited him."

Isaiah’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Anthony.

Then his gaze flickered to the box in Anthony’s hands.

A smirk curled on his lips. "You actually brought a gift? Anthony, do yourself a favor and leave it in the car. No need to embarrass yourself inside."

Anthony sneered. "Idiot."

"What the fuck did you just say?!"

Isaiah’s face twisted in rage as he lunged forward, ready to strike.

How dare this lowlife insult him? Was he tired of living?

Before he could reach Anthony, Freya shot him a warning glare and grabbed his arm. "Mr. Harris, don’t be hasty. Please, go inside first—I need to have a word with him."

Isaiah pointed a furious finger at Anthony. "You piece of shit, just you wait!"

Spitting on the ground in contempt, he stormed into the Mitchell estate.

Once Isaiah was gone, Anthony turned to Freya, his tone indifferent. "Miss Mitchell, is there anything else you need to instruct me on?"

Freya met his gaze and said coldly, "Tonight, you’re not the guest of honor. Don’t give that pathetic gift to Grandpa. Just eat and leave."