John understood men. Once a rift formed between Arthur and Ashley, he would have the perfect opening to play his cards. All he had to do was wait for the right moment, and then he would find a way to pull Arthur back to their side. Arthur was his son. Now that he had risen to the top as the chairman of Cloudia Corporation, it wasn’t just his success—it was the Gray family’s honor. This was John’s chance to build the Gray family into the most respected name in South City. He had to seize this opportunity—just like how everyone admired Arthur now. Ashley’s face had gone pale. She had publicly claimed to be Arthur’s girlfriend before, but that was only to help him in the moment. Later, Arthur had asked her to keep up the act. And even though their relationship had grown closer over time, neither of them had ever addressed what they really were. In reality, she wasn’t even officially his girlfriend. So what right did she have to stand up for him now? A sharp pain twisted in Ashley’s chest. Just as she was about to apologize to Arthur, he suddenly pulled her into his arms, his arm wrapping tightly around her waist. His eyes were as cold and unyielding as ice. Then, in a voice loud enough for the entire room to hear, he declared, "I, Arthur, will only marry Ashley in this lifetime! If anyone dares to insult my wife again, I—and my company—will stop at nothing to get revenge! I will fight until the very end!" The moment the words left his mouth, Arthur turned his sharp gaze to John. Then, with each word slow and deliberate, he added— "Just like Gray Corporation right now." Boom! As the crowd erupted in whispers, Ashley felt something inside her explode. She lifted her head, staring at Arthur in shock. Her large eyes were filled with disbelief. He... he actually said it? Did he really say it in front of everyone? Her eyes instantly misted over. She couldn’t stop the wave of emotions—joy, gratitude, and pure happiness overwhelmed her.John was just as stunned—but unlike Ashley, the emotions in his eyes were nothing but anger and frustration. Arthur let his words settle before driving his point home once more. "And let me remind you—I have completely severed ties with you! If I had a choice, I would never have been born into a family like this! The pain and suffering you’ve caused me over the years have erased any sense of duty I once had toward you!" His expression was sharp and mocking. Before they found out he was Cloudia Corporation’s chairman, they had never once referred to themselves as his parents. But now? They were suddenly calling him "son" like it was second nature. To them, nothing mattered more than personal gain. And as for John and Zac’s relationship? Arthur narrowed his eyes. That might just be worth investigating further. Arthur’s words didn’t make John feel even a shred of guilt. His eyes were filled with nothing but anger and resentment. Realizing that none of his usual tricks were working, John suddenly fell to his knees with a loud thud. The unexpected action shocked everyone. Ashley, startled, instinctively pulled Arthur back a few steps. John raised his tear-filled eyes, looking up at Arthur with desperation. "Arthur, I beg you. Gray Corporation is the legacy of generations of the Gray family. It can’t be destroyed—especially not by you! No matter what, we are still father and son. Please... have mercy on the Gray family!" Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he yanked Zac forward, forcing him to lower his head. "Arthur, Zac will apologize to you. I swear, from now on, he will never do anything against you again!" Arthur watched the scene before him and instead of feeling the urge to leave, a new thought crossed his mind. He had spent his past life suffering through endless humiliation. But now, he had the perfect opportunity to dish out some humiliation of his own.Was that wrong? Not in the slightest.