His Lordship Alexander Kane

i ! Chapter 0546 I Someone was causing a scene? I Why else would they be making a fuss I about it if not for the Xanthos family's (fortune? Callie's expression was one of sorrow as she stood before Ywain's coffin. She wiped her tears, her eyes hardening with a resolve she had never experienced. A Her father was gone, but her brother was still there.

So was she—Callie, the rightful daughter of the Xanthos family, the former leader of the Callie Group.

"Brother, stay with Dad. I'm going to check out what's happening." She turned with a grace that contradicted her earlier shaky steps. With the maid by her side, she made her way to the manor's front yard, her stride becoming

more steady and confident. At that } moment, she stood tall, symbolizing strength and hope for the Xanthos family.

I The courtyard in front of the Xanthos family's grand hall was lively with "conversation and activity.

For over two centuries, the Xanthos family had expanded their influence throughout the north, with thousands of kin and connections. Over 50 people gathered there, including influential members from various branches of the family.

However, in the wake of Ywain's unexpected death, the pretense of mourning was thin. Few faces expressed genuine grief; instead, smiles and hushed discussions about the family's fortunes were far more common. It was a stark example of human greed and shrewdness.

"Look, Callie's here!" / Callie's presence caused a brief hush in i the crowd, which was quickly replaced by I a flurry of urgent voices. "Callie, with the I family head gone, now is not the time to I cry. We need to act quickly and figure out I what to do next." "Exactly, we need to talk now. The Xanthos family might not be what we once were, but we have to sort out the estate before others get any ideas!" "We can't go a day without a leader. The Xanthos family needs someone at the helm and fast. Plenty of eyes are on the prize of a top noble house..." The words echoed in Callie's ears, each face reflecting raw, unmasked ugliness.

"This matter doesn't concern all of you." She faced the crowd of family and friends, her gaze icy, putting a distance between them.

"Look, Callie's here!" 7 ' Callie's presence caused a brief hush in I the crowd, which was quickly replaced by I a flurry of urgent voices. "Callie, with the family head gone, now is not the time to I cry. We need to act quickly and figure out I what to do next." "Exactly, we need to talk now. The Xanthos family might not be what we once were, but we have to sort out the ( estate before others get any ideas!" "We can't go a day without a leader. The Xanthos family needs someone at the helm and fast. Plenty of eyes are on the prize of a top noble house..." The words echoed in Callie's ears, each face reflecting raw, unmasked ugliness.

"This matter doesn't concern all of you." She faced the crowd of family and friends, her gaze icy, putting a distance between them.

i "Before my father died, he appointed my } brother as head of the Xanthos family.

I He's in charge of all our affairs. i I ' "Neither now nor in the future will I anyone undermine the Xanthos family's standing, and that includes all of you!" I What?! The relatives were taken aback, and their emotions flared. "Callie, what's this tall about? Including us? We are your flesh and blood, members of the Xanthos lineage—we are family!" "Exactly! We share the Xanthos name, and the same blood flows through our veins! We created this family legacy together, facing death while you were still on baby formula!" "I'bet she's just trying to hog the family wealth and drive us out! Tacker is lost in his grief and unfit to lead! Him as the head? I will not stand for it!"

i Their words were like icy daggers, and ) Callie clenched her jaw, a deep sadness in , her eyes. The Xanthos family's reality I was a reflection of human nature.

I After her father's death, the once compliant relatives bared their teeth and I revealed their true colors. If not for the respect owed to her brother, a martial arts grandmaster, they would have made their move, disregarding any remaining decency.

"Callie, there's no point in putting on a brave face anymore." Amidst the crowd, an elderly man with a shock of white hair, leaning on his cane and dressed in a crisp gray-white suit, shook his head at Callie. "To be fair, Tacker's reputation is not enough to win everyone over.

"What we need to focus on right now is selecting a family friend or relative who embodies the right balance of honor and respect to carry the Xanthos family's

I" future. We also need to take care of your } father's affairs properly. I'm right, aren't NT ( ' Callie could not deny the logic behind his I words. She looked at the elder, feeling a bit of tension release from her shoulders, I and said gently, "Uncle, there's no need for a vote on who will lead the family.

That responsibility should fall to my brother.

"As for everything else, we can talk, but anyone who has insulted me needs to get out now!"Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.