Rebirth Swapped Bride; Married to the Ruthless Cursed Billionaire-Chapter 370: the Divine fate of Antonio Mega

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Chapter 370: the Divine fate of Antonio Mega

"Well now," Stephen surveyed the other four at the table, the curve of his lips deepening.

"Did my arrival suddenly render everyone speechless?"

His low, unhurried voice carried a hint of playful amusement.

Yet no one at the table laughed—not even the faintest trace of a smile appeared.

*What is there to say?*

The corners of Mrs. Mega’s mouth twitched slightly as the silent thought echoed in her mind.

When blades were practically at each other’s throats, what pleasantries could possibly be exchanged?

The Mega family matriarch remained silent, her fingers pausing briefly over the prayer beads she was idly turning before resuming their rhythm.

Antonio noted the tension, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he turned to Stephen with a practiced smile.

"You’ve always spent this time of the year at the temple in previous years," Antonio reached out to pour Stephen a cup of tea, the depths of his gaze sharp with unspoken scrutiny.

"What brought you back so suddenly this time?"

Stephen observed Antonio’s striking appearance and physique, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully behind his glasses.

Instead of responding to Antonio’s remark, he reached out leisurely, stirring the tea leaves floating in his cup.

The deliberate gesture was a clear dismissal, a silent refusal to grant Antonio any respect.

Antonio’s handsome brow furrowed instantly, his gaze turning noticeably colder.

Putting on air now?

Antonio’s mother frowned, about to speak up, but a sharp glance from her husband silenced her.

The dining room fell into an icy stillness once more.

Fortunately, the butler arrived just then, leading to a procession of servants bearing trays of food.

The table soon overflowed with an elaborate spread, steam rising in curling tendrils that blurred and distorted the faces around it.

"Let’s eat," Stephen said calmly, picking up his Spoon first, his tone steady and indifferent.

The butler’s eyelids twitched slightly.

To an outsider, it would seem as though *he* was the leader of the Mega family estate. Mr. And Mrs. Mega remained silent, though their expressions darkened.

"It’s been so long since you last returned to the family home," Antonio remarked coolly, "I’d almost thought you’d grown distant from us."

Mrs. Mega curled her lips into a slow smile, her usually kind face radiating benevolence.

Yet the sharp glint in her eyes struck a discordant note.

"Now that I see you’re making yourself at home, I can rest easy.

Let’s all enjoy the meal."

That single word—"home"—said it all. "Grandmother is absolutely right," Mrs. Mega chimed in with a practiced smile.

Stephen lifted his gaze, glancing briefly at Mrs. Mega before settling on this grandma.

His strikingly handsome face, pale to the point of translucence, curved into an inscrutable smile.

"The one who’s being distant... was never me."

Without waiting for a response, he began eating first, his movements effortless and refined.

The remaining four faces at the table darkened once more.

But things had already gone too far—walking out now was out of the question.

The dining room fell into silence, broken only by Antonio’s occasional compliments about the chef’s skills.

Ever since Stephen had appeared, everything seemed to unfold under his control.

The suffocating weight of his dominance left Antonio deeply unsettled.

His eyes darkened as he swirled his wine glass, speaking in a measured tone.

"Since Uncle has returned, there’s something I’d like to ask for your advice on."

Stephen looked up.

"I’d love to hear the details."

"Lately, I’ve been swarmed by quite a few flies around me.

What do you think, Uncle?"

Antonio set down his wine glass, letting the crimson liquid swirl freely inside.

"Who do you suppose is behind it?"

The question, of course, was meant as a veiled warning to Stephen.

Unfazed, Stephen dabbed the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief, leaning back in his wheelchair as he regarded Antonio with a faint smile.

"With half the Mega family already in your grasp, how could you possibly fail to trace the origins of a few measly flies?"

Stephen regarded Antonio with a faint smile.

With just a single sentence, he effortlessly turned the tables—shifting the burden of response while mercilessly exposing Antonio’s incompetence.

Antonio hadn’t expected Stephen to sidestep the topic entirely and counterattack instead.

His expression instantly darkened, his face stiff with barely concealed displeasure.

A flicker of something unreadable passed through grandma Mega’s eyes before she smoothly interjected with a practiced smile.

"Antonio still has much to learn, of course," she said warmly.

"But fortunately, the elders of the Mega family are here to guide him."

Her gaze settled on Stephen, her tone deliberate.

"Stephen, as his uncle, you ought to lend him a hand when needed.

Why don’t you take care of this matter?"

The men involved had been sent by Stephen in the first place.

If he agreed, he’d inevitably have to pay a price to settle the affair.

If he refused, he’d immediately contradict his own earlier words.

Grandma Mega’s maneuvering was nothing short of masterful.

Stephen met her gaze, the corners of his lips curling slowly.

"No problem."

Mrs. Mega nodded slightly, took a sip of tea from her cup, then turned her gaze back to Stephen.

"Go on," she said slowly, her tone gentle and her expression warm, like a doting elder.

"What’s the real reason you’ve come back to the old house this time?"

She paused at just the right moment before continuing, "Are you in some kind of trouble?

Or is it your health?"

Her voice was honeyed, but her heart was venom.

Stephen watched the woman’s feigned kindness, then glanced at the bodhi prayer beads in her hand, his eyes brimming with undisguised mockery.

"I *have* run into a bit of trouble," he admitted.

At this, Mr. And Mrs Mega raised their brows in surprise.

The coldness in Mrs. Mega’s and Antonio’s eyes softened slightly.

Stephen observed their reactions with quiet amusement.

His slender fingers tapped idly against the armrest of his wheelchair, and a chilling smile crept into his dark eyes.

"Except the one in trouble isn’t me—it’s Antonio."

The moment those words left his lips, the expressions of all four in the room shifted dramatically.

Mrs. Mega was the first to lose her composure.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" she snapped, her displeasure evident.

"What nonsense are you talking about?

What could possibly be wrong with Antonio?"

"Stephen," grandma Mega frowned at his son, his voice stern.

"You’d better explain yourself clearly."

Neither Antonio nor grandma Mega spoke immediately.

Their gazes remained fixed on Stephen, waiting for him to continue.

Watching the united front they presented, the corners of Stephen’s pale lips curled even deeper into a smirk.

"Antonio isn’t getting any younger.

While I was at the temple making offerings, I took the liberty of seeking divination for his marriage prospects," he said, his tone light but his eyes icy.

"But out of four consecutive draws, every single one was an ill omen."

An ill omen?

The words struck a nerve with Mrs. Mega, who cared deeply about such matters.

She shot to her feet, her face flushed with anger as she glared at Stephen.

"Stephen!

How dare you spout such rubbish?!"

"Why so hasty, sister-in-law?"

Stephen sneered, unfazed.

"I haven’t finished yet."

His gaze returned to the strikingly handsome face that had now darkened completely.

"Teacher Lorence said this is the Peach Blossom Hex—contact spells mortal danger.

Whether it’s four divinations, eight, or even ten, the outcome remains unchanged."

The faces of grandma Mega and the other three turned even grimmer.

"Naturally, I didn’t believe it.

So I cast eight more divinations for Antonio," Stephen said, lifting his glass of red wine and taking a slow sip.

The deep crimson liquid reflected in his eyes, staining them a haunting shade.

"Twelve consecutive divinations—each one foretelling death."

Twelve consecutive divinations—each one foretelling death.

Those simple words seemed to freeze the entire Mega ancestral estate in place, the air thickening with dread.

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