They only wanted to form partnerships with Cloudia Corporation, hoping Arthur would lend them a hand. This frenzied scene contrasted starkly with how they had mocked him just moments earlier. Arthur raised his hand slightly, and the crowd immediately fell silent. Everyone felt that Arthur, standing in the midst of them, now possessed an unmistakable authority. Finally freed from being trampled, the Gray family members had been shoved to the outskirts of the crowd. From a distance, they looked on at Arthur, unable to believe that the Arthur they had once labeled a worthless nobody—someone they had abandoned—had suddenly become the renowned Chairman of Cloudia Corporation. Yet watching him remain calm and collected, surrounded by everyone’s attention, they realized that this Arthur was entirely different from who they had known before. When had he become so commanding? The imposing presence he exuded now was something John could not match in the slightest. He seemed to be born for this position, as though he was destined to be courted by these business giants. They could not put into words how they felt at that moment. All of them carried numerous injuries from being trampled, but they could not bring themselves to focus on the pain. Arthur, encircled by the crowd, wasted no time on excess words. He simply looked at the Gray family on the outskirts and said, “If you want to cooperate with my Cloudia Corporation, the condition is very simple.” Upon hearing that, everyone held their breath. The crowd grew tense, barely daring to breathe. The Gray family watched Arthur intently, not blinking for even a second. However, Arthur’s next words cast the entire Gray family into an icy abyss. His voice resounded through the crowd like a harbinger of doom, declaring the Gray family’s death sentence. “That condition is to sever all ties with Gray Corporation! Anyone who maintains any partnership with the Gray family—no matter who they are—will be treated as an enemy by Cloudia Corporation! Cloudia Corporation will refuse to work with them, no exceptions!” For the Gray family, it was as if the bottom had dropped out of their world! John staggered and fell straight to the ground. “Dad!” A chorus of panicked cries filled the air as Raelynn and the three Gray daughters rushed to help him. Meanwhile, Zac, either out of fury or because he hadn’t heard their voices, stood frozen in place, glaring furiously at Arthur. With that one statement, Arthur had thrown the entire venue into chaos. Good grief, he was ruthless—he was determined to finish off the Gray family for good! Everyone in South City wanted to work with Cloudia Corporation; that’s why they’d come to the banquet in the first place. And yet, here was Arthur, publicly declaring that anyone who maintained any ties with the Gray family would be cut off from Cloudia Corporation. It was clear to everyone present what choice they’d have to make between Cloudia Corporation and the Gray family. When John went down, those standing closest heard the Gray family’s shouts, but they merely glanced over and did nothing, including Xavier and his group of underlings. The Gray family looked at the indifferent crowd and truly understood what it meant to be forsaken by everyone. Arthur merely cast John a cold glance, completely unmoved. It was not just the Gray family sinking into despair; Xavier and all those who had insulted Arthur earlier had gone pale as well. Arthur was clearly determined to retaliate. If so, any possibility of collaboration with Cloudia Corporation was hopeless for them. Indeed, before they could even speculate, Arthur looked right at Xavier and the others and said, “Also, those who took part in insulting me just now, especially those who bullied me in the past, should stop hoping for any cooperation with Cloudia Corporation!” The moment he finished speaking, the last sliver of hope died for those people. Xavier and the underlings who had come with him all found themselves pinned by their parents’ murderous glares. Had the setting been less formal, they would likely have been beaten on the spot. They might have been spared for the moment, but they definitely would not escape a beating once they got home. As for anything else, it remained unclear. Raelynn hurriedly pressed on John’s philtrum. He had not been unconscious for long and soon came around. As soon as he woke, he shook his head, rolled to his feet, and—no one quite knew from where he mustered the strength—burst through the crowd in a panic. He rushed over to Arthur, discarding any sense of dignity, grabbed Arthur’s hand, and burst into tears. “Arthur, you can’t be so heartless! I know I haven’t done enough, but I still raised you for sixteen years! You can’t destroy Gray Corporation!” Raelynn followed closely behind John, sobbing as she pleaded, “Arthur, I know you’ve suffered all these years, but Gray Corporation… Gray Corporation is our family’s entire lifeline! They say blood is thicker than water… you can’t do this!” Susie, on the other hand, couldn’t hold herself back. She simply couldn’t bring herself to beg Arthur for mercy.