Stronger Every Time I Die

Chapter 32 A Sister’s Concern, A Brother’s Rejection

"Could Zac really have two faces? Has he fooled everyone?" "Possible. Otherwise, how could Arthur, the true son of the Gray family, end up in such a miserable state?" Julie wasn’t looking at her phone, unaware of the chaos unfolding in the livestream chat. Arthur continued working on his test papers, completely ignoring Julie even as she approached him. The moment viewers in the livestream saw their interaction, the camera immediately zoomed in on them. This kind of real-time drama was prime entertainment, and the livestreamer’s follower count skyrocketed. Julie took a deep breath and softened her voice. "Arthur, what’s going on? I waited for you all morning yesterday. Where did you go?" The entire classroom—and the livestream audience—collectively gasped. They had always known that the Gray family favored Zac—excessively so. Even after learning that Arthur was the true heir, no one believed he was truly cherished by the Gray family. His long-standing poverty was well-documented—he was so frugal he wouldn’t even add an extra dish to his meals. For a prestigious family like the Grays to let their real son live like this, it was obvious how little they valued him. But now, the Gray family’s eldest daughter—a brilliant, incredibly busy woman—just admitted she had waited outside Arthur’s dorm all morning yesterday? To put things in perspective, even people from their own company struggled to get an appointment with Ms. Julie. And yet, Arthur had not only left her waiting—he had even ignored her calls! This wasn’t at all what they had imagined. If she was willing to wait that long, did that mean Arthur was actually important to her? Arthur knew exactly what she was referring to, but he had no intention of humoring her. He refused to waste time on irrelevant people.Julie looked at him in surprise. Yesterday, he had rejected her calls over and over again. And now, he was treating her like she didn’t even exist. Something was different about him. Ever since that Saturday, when he asked for a birthday cake, he had started to change. Still, Julie remained patient. "Arthur, step outside with me. Let’s talk somewhere private." Family matters shouldn’t be aired in public—especially not with so many people watching, so many phones pointed at them. Zac’s actions had already disgraced the Gray family enough. Seeing that Julie wasn’t backing down, Arthur finally put down his pen and looked up. Frowning, he said, "Ms. Julie, I’m sure you’ve already learned the truth. Since you don’t believe me, why ask me? Would you even believe me if I answered?" Ever since they adopted Zac, had they ever once believed a word Arthur said? Julie stiffened. Ms. Julie? He used to just call her Julie. Why was he…? Then again, thinking back, he was right. The family had never believed him before. Arthur’s patience was wearing thin. "We have class soon. If you have nothing else to say, please stop disturbing us." Self-study time was about to end. In his past life, he had wasted his education. This time, he wouldn’t make the same mistake. Julie’s expression grew awkward. Being openly dismissed by her own neglected younger brother, in front of so many people—it was humiliating. Everything was happening so fast that Tia was the first to react. She reached out and tugged on Zac’s sleeve.Zac had been closely watching Arthur and Julie. Sensing an opportunity, he quickly stepped forward. Furrowing his brows, he reprimanded, "Arthur, how can you talk to Julie like that? She’s only looking out for you. Even if you don’t like her, you shouldn’t embarrass her in front of everyone." Arthur frowned. More of this fake, manipulative talk? Guilt-tripping again? He didn’t care for anyone in the Gray family—not even Julie—but outright stating it in public was another matter. Zac inwardly smirked. So what if Arthur’s identity was exposed? With his own wit and manipulation, he could still make Arthur the villain. The only son the Gray family would ever acknowledge—would be him, Zac! Arthur finally set down his pen and met Zac’s gaze. "You’re right—I don’t like any of you. But the one who’s actually trying to embarrass her… is you." The words stunned both Zac and Julie. Did he just openly admit he didn’t like Julie? Why wasn’t he following the usual script?! Zac instantly panicked. "When did I ever try to embarrass Julie? She’s my most respected sister! How could I ever bear to let her be humiliated?"

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