The two of them froze in anger, turning their gazes toward Tia. She glared at them and shouted, "Do you have any idea what kind of life I had when I was with Zac? Is it wrong for me to fight for my own happiness?" With that, Tia spun around and stormed back to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Martin and Daisy exchanged uneasy glances. What did she mean by that? Could it be that she really…? They didn’t dare continue that train of thought. Their daughter had always been obedient and kind—how could she do something like that? Inside her room, Tia felt a wave of calm wash over her. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through the online comments, filled with insults and slander. Instead of feeling hurt, she burst into laughter. Arthur and Ashley must have broken up by now! It was only a matter of time before the paparazzi uncovered their split. Once Ashley was out of the picture, Arthur would be hers! Meanwhile, in the hospital, Zac and Xavier were still in surgery. Outside the operating room, Xavier’s parents, along with John, Raelynn, and a few others, anxiously waited. Of course, in the Gray family, the only ones who were truly worried were John and Raelynn. Susie was only pretending to care to avoid arousing John's suspicion. Throughout the entire wait, neither side spoke a single word to the other. Xavier’s parents wished they could strangle John right then and there. It was all because of that bastard Zac! If it weren’t for him, their son, who had once been a good kid—would never have learned to bully others. And to make things worse, they hadn't just bullied anyone; they had picked Arthur, someone with both power and influence! Now look where that got them. Not only had their company lost any chance of collaborating with Cloudia Corporation, but their son had been completely ostracized at school for the past two years. Ever since the incident at the banquet became public, people had even started gathering outside their home, throwing rotten foods at their doors. All of this was Zac’s doing! John remained expressionless throughout. He still couldn’t understand how, in the short time he had stepped away for a check-up, Zac—who had been crippled—had managed to leave the hospital and make it all the way to the school.Someone must have helped him! He had already questioned the doctors and nurses at the hospital, but none of them had given him any useful information. Right now, all he could do was wait for Zac to wake up and ask him directly. But the fact that Zac, despite his condition, had still been attacked at South High… John clenched his fists. He knew Zac had done things that hurt Arthur, but did that justify what they had done to him? Beating a patient so severely? The doctors had told him that Zac’s barely healed limbs had been broken again. This time, he had also suffered four fractured ribs. Just thinking about it filled John with murderous rage. He wanted to storm into South High and tear them apart! His precious son—the one he had shielded and cared for—had been brutalized like this! But John also understood that he was no longer in control. Gray Corporation had fallen from grace, and he was no match for the powerful families at South High. The students there came from wealthy and influential backgrounds. Even at Gray Corporation’s peak, he wouldn’t have dared to offend so many elite families, let alone now. With nowhere to vent his fury, John's thoughts suddenly turned to Arthur. That’s right! This was all because of Arthur! They had only done this to Zac because of Arthur! Arthur! Everything had gone wrong because of Arthur! Zac, the Gray family—everything had been fine until Arthur showed up. He was nothing but a curse! John’s eyes burned with hatred. At that moment, he seemed to have completely forgotten that Arthur was also his son—his biological son. Arthur’s mere existence threatened Zac’s future. In truth, from the moment Arthur was born, he had never been destined to receive his father’s love. Before adopting Zac, John had at least maintained the facade of caring for Arthur. But after Zac became part of the family, Arthur had turned into nothing more than an eyesore—a thorn in John’s side.John had treated Arthur more like a sworn enemy than his own flesh and blood. While both sides harbored their own resentments, Xavier was finally wheeled out of surgery. Still under the effects of anesthesia, Xavier remained unconscious. Seeing him like that, his parents were heartbroken. They rushed forward anxiously. “Doctor, how is he?” The doctor adjusted his glasses and replied, “Three broken ribs, internal bleeding in several areas, and a fractured right wrist. The bones have been set, but he’ll need a few months to recover properly.” Hearing this, Xavier’s parents’ hatred for John and Zac deepened even further. But no matter how much they despised them, the reality remained, even a dying camel was bigger than a horse. Their family didn’t have the power to go against John. After all, John was still the head of Gray Corporation.