Or perhaps, he never cared for their love at all. Julie still wanted to give Zac a chance. As long as he was willing to transfer the shares back to her immediately, she could pretend none of this had ever happened. A flicker of panic flashed in Zac's eyes, but he quickly composed himself. Feigning confusion, he said, "Julie, why are you in such a rush? This is a big decision. I want to wait until I've recovered before making it official. Then, we can even celebrate together." Hearing his evasive response, a wave of disappointment washed over Julie. And then, she found herself laughing at her own foolishness. After everything, she was still holding on to hope. Maybe it was just a habit, ingrained over the years. Before John could scold her, Julie abruptly spoke. "You have no intention of giving me back the shares, do you?" Zac froze. He hadn't expected her to be so direct! John immediately exploded. "Julie! Are you insane?" Julie wasn't intimidated in the slightest. Instead, she pulled out her phone, cutting off John's tirade. "Dad, I have something to show you. Watch this first, then decide if you still want to yell at me." Everyone stiffened. Those words were eerily familiar. Twice now, the Gray family had been publicly humiliated. Twice, Zac had been disgraced in front of everyone. And both times, it had started with Arthur saying, "I have something to show you." A sinking feeling crept into Zac and John's hearts. Before they could react, Julie hit play. To their shock, the video was of this very hospital room. Zac, wrapped in bandages, clearly recorded just moments ago. The moment Zac saw the footage, his mind went blank.This can't be happening! I checked outside before making that call, everyone was gone, helping John with his wound! Panic surged through him. He tried to stop it, but it was too late. His voice was already blaring from the phone. The very first sentence left the entire room stunned. "Mom, go handle the paperwork immediately. Gray Corporation is done for. Before they realize it, I'm transferring all the shares into your name." The Gray family stared at Zac in utter shock. No one was more stunned than John. Just moments ago, Raelynn had been by his side the entire time. Which meant the "Mom" Zac was talking to wasn't Raelynn at all. John blurted out, "Your mom is dead!" The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake. Raelynn turned to him, disbelief written all over her face. "How do you know his birth mom is dead?" When they adopted Zac, the orphanage had told them he had been there since infancy, an orphan through and through. A sudden realization dawned on Rosie and Susie. They had just stumbled upon something far bigger than they ever expected. Zac struggled to get up and snatch the phone, but with his broken limbs and fractured ribs, he barely managed to move. No one in the Gray family made a move to help him. The video continued playing. On the other end of the call, an indistinct voice spoke, prompting Zac to sneer. "Mom, don't worry. I've been playing the long game perfectly. Those fools still dote on me. The only issue was last night. Now they're suspicious, especially Julie. She even had the audacity to question me!" The voice on the phone seemed to issue a warning. Zac's expression darkened. "Once I've transferred all the shares and drained Gray Corporation dry, I'll cut ties with them for good. I'll come back and take care of you. I thought I could milk them for more, but who would've thought John was so useless? Arthur took down Gray Corporation with a single sentence."He chuckled coldly. "Mom, don't worry. I won't let them off easily, especially John, Raelynn, and Julie. I've got everything set. Just a little longer until Gray Corporation is bled dry. Don't feel guilty. This is what you deserve. They owe you." The video ended. The room was deathly silent. No one spoke. No one moved. At this point, Zac had stopped struggling. It didn't matter anymore. His mom was already handling everything on her end. John stood frozen, unable to process what he had just seen. Ten years ago, Renee had drowned herself, unable to bear the whispers and judgment of those around her. Before her death, she had left a letter entrusting Zac to him. John had carried that guilt ever since. And in his attempt to atone, he had poured all his love into Zac. He had carefully arranged for Zac to grow up in an orphanage, only to later bring Raelynn to adopt him as their son.