The Rejected Son’s Road to Retribution

Chapter 11

“My Lovely Family, I’m Back!”

“You got an invitation to Lady De Leon’s birthday party, didn’t you?” Tyson asked, his tone serious.

He had already prepared all kinds of explanations in case Anna questioned him about anything. More than anyone, he understood how difficult it was to get into an event hosted by the De Leon family.

In this city, the De Leons stood at the very top. Countless people tried to curry favor with them, doing whatever they could to attend their gatherings, of course, all for the sake of building connections. None of those people would ever be foolish enough to bring some random stranger along.

However, Anna’s reaction was surprisingly calm. She simply nodded and said, “Okay.”

Faced with that nonchalant attitude, Tyson felt… unsettled. He studied the girl in front of him carefully.

Sensing his gaze, Anna continued, “It’s just a birthday party. Bringing you along isn’t a big deal.”

Honestly, her lack of suspicion made Tyson feel a little guilty. After all, he was using a young woman who barely knew him for his own purpose.

He almost forgot, he was only in that room because of her trap.

“The deal’s already made, Mr. Sexy. Isn’t it about time you kept your promise?”

Tyson froze at her words, his eyes instinctively darting toward the girl still half-reclined on the hotel bed. He swallowed hard, his heartbeat unsteady. Panic began to rise in his chest.

In the end, he was still the same man as before, hesitant, restrained, and unsure.

If not for the system’s intervention, he wouldn’t have made it through that night in one piece.

The day of Lady De Leon’s grand celebration arrived. Tyson, who didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention, was nevertheless dragged by Anna into a luxurious boutique.

Several attendants who already knew Anna, including the boutique’s manager, took turns helping her pick formal attire that would suit Tyson.

Each time Tyson stepped out of the fitting room in a new outfit, Anna would frown and shake her head in disapproval.

“No, that color doesn’t suit him.”

“This one’s style doesn’t match his personality.”

“This looks too plain on him.”

Those were the brief but decisive comments Anna made every single time Tyson appeared from the dressing room.

Tyson had no idea how many outfits he’d tried on before Anna finally looked satisfied.

“Yes, this one! It’s perfect for you!”

Tyson glanced at his reflection in the mirror. To him, there wasn’t much difference between the dark red and navy suits besides the color. Still, he couldn’t complain, not when he needed this girl’s help.

Anna grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a counter displaying luxury watches. After trying a few, she pinned a small leopard brooch onto the lapel of his suit, then smiled with satisfaction.

“Perfect! You know,” she sighed contentedly, “you actually match my aesthetic really well. What’s the term… ah! Medium ugly. I love it!”

A vein twitched in Tyson’s forehead. He didn’t understand this girl’s taste at all.

“Actually, we don’t need to go overboard—”

“Overboard? This is just right! You’re coming with me, how could you look ordinary? Besides, didn’t you say you wanted to surprise your family? You can’t show up looking half-hearted.”

“You’re right,” Tyson gave in.

He had told Anna a little about his connection to the De Leon family, but not in detail. All she knew was that he was the youngest De Leon son and had just been released from prison.

If Anna had known that Tyson’s real reason for attending Lady De Leon’s birthday party was to stir up chaos, she probably wouldn’t have agreed to bring him.

The drive to the hotel hosting the celebration went smoothly, aside from some trouble finding parking. Even passing through security was surprisingly easy, so easy that Tyson felt something was off.

Maybe it was because he’d been gone for two years, and people no longer remembered what he looked like.

“We’re a bit late, thanks to how long it took to fix your style,” Anna whispered teasingly beside him.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Tyson sighed.

They entered the grand hall where the party was being held. Holding a gift in hand, Tyson stepped forward as soon as he spotted the gathered members of the De Leon family.

A bright smile spread across his face, deceptively calm, hiding all traces of anger or resentment. But even at a glance, it was clear he had changed. That was why almost no one recognized him.

Walking alongside the second daughter of the well-known Mendes family, who had quite the reputation as a socialite, Tyson inevitably drew attention.

“My lovely family, I’m back!” Tyson declared loudly enough for many to hear.

Moments later, a warning echoed from the system.

[Be careful, someone is trying to—]

But before Tyson could hear the rest, someone stumbled toward them, a glass of wine spilling from their hand.

Tyson instinctively wrapped an arm around Anna’s waist, pulling her aside to avoid the splash. The wine didn’t hit them, but it did spill all over a young man and woman standing in front of them.

They were none other than Tyson’s two siblings, Martin and Kaylee.