Stronger Every Time I Die

Chapter 29 The Truth

What was clear, however, was that the one engaged to Tia was Arthur, not Zac! At that time, Zac didn't even exist in the Gray family. He was adopted when he was eight years old. With the adoption of Zac, the Gray family gained a second son. How could anyone say Tia is the "only daughter-in-law"? Such a statement was baseless. When Zac noticed everyone's awestruck expressions and turned to see the elegant Tia standing gracefully at the doorway, his face lit up with a broad smile. "Tia, what brings you here?" he called out warmly, eagerly approaching her. Tia, seeing his beaming smile, blushed faintly. She shyly glanced at Julie, then lowered her gaze as she spoke to Zac, her voice tinged with bashfulness. "I heard that Julie was here, so I came to see her." Known for her cold personality, Tia's current timid and demure manner made the surrounding boys erupt into cheers. Zac pushed through the crowd and naturally took Tia's hand in his. Smiling tenderly, he said, "Tia, let me introduce you to my sister Julie." As Julie saw their hands clasped together, her frown deepened. What's going on? Tia is clearly engaged to Arthur. Yet with Arthur still present, how could she act so intimately with Zac? Julie turned to glance at Arthur. He remained focused, his head lowered as he worked on his practice questions. His world seemed to consist only of the test papers in front of him, unaffected by the surrounding chaos. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on him. Silent except for the soft "swish" of his pen on the paper, he was completely absorbed. For the first time in all the years they had been siblings, Julie found herself observing him so attentively. He had grown up so much, but he was still too thin. He must have endured a lot of hardship in the Gray family over the years. Zac led Tia over to Julie. With a radiant smile, he introduced her, "Julie, this is my girlfriend, Tia." "Girlfriend?" Julie raised an eyebrow and turned to Tia. "Ms. Tia, are you saying you're Zac's girlfriend?" Tia nodded bashfully, her voice soft and sweet. "Julie, my name is Tia. I'm the fiancée of the Gray family's son, engaged through a childhood betrothal arranged by your father and mine. Do you remember?" Julie's frown deepened further. If she's aware of the betrothal, she should also know which son it was arranged for. Zac met Julie's gaze with determination and declared, "Julie, I love Tia. Once I graduate, I'm going to marry her!" Hearing his resolute declaration, Tia blushed even more deeply. Zac's words sparked a wave of excited screams throughout the classroom. "Is this a proposal? Did I just witness Zac proposing?!" "Oh my gosh, they're such a perfect match! I ship this couple so hard!" "A rich son and an elegant campus belle, absolute perfection! I dare say they're the best-looking pair in the world!" "Tia is so stunning, and Zac is so lucky! I'm dying of envy." "Zac is so handsome, especially when he's confessing his love!" Amid the exaggerated cheers and the sight of their clasped hands, an unfamiliar sense of disgust welled up in Julie's heart. Her expression stern, she questioned Tia, "Don't you know who you're engaged to?" Tia's bashful face froze. She looked at Julie in surprise, not understanding the intent behind her words. Of course, she knew who her fiancé was. But Zac told her that he was the most cherished son of the Gray family. Over the years, her own observations had confirmed this. She had inquired about the details of the engagement and learned that it was arranged between her and "the son of the Gray family", without specifying which one. Given how much the Gray family adored Zac, she believed they would honor his feelings and revise the engagement in his favor if he declared his love for her. But now, why is Julie saying this? Zac, equally caught off guard by the question, quickly stepped forward to clarify. "Julie, Tia and I truly love each other," he interjected, trying to steer the conversation. His implication was clear. He wanted the family to officially change the engagement from Arthur to himself. But this time, Julie didn't immediately indulge him. Her tone turned sharp as she addressed Tia. "Ms. Tia, you should be well aware that your betrothal is to Arthur, the Gray family's son. Yet you've become the girlfriend of his younger brother, Zac. Do you have any regard for the Gray family's honor?"

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