Arthur didn’t stop at Zac. He turned his firepower directly onto John and the others. "And you! Three days ago, it was my birthday, and I only asked for a simple cake. What did I get in return? Every single one of you scolded me like I had committed some crime. A cake! How much does that even cost? You’ve never once spent a few hundred dollars on a cake for me, but now you’re standing here pretending you would have bought me a suit? Mr. John, do you even believe the nonsense you’re saying?" Arthur’s voice cut through the room like a blade. "And Zac has bullied me for eight years. Every scar on my body—every single one—was caused by him. When I finally couldn’t endure anymore and reported him to the police, what did you do? You only cared about protecting Zac! You told me to drop the charges, told me to forgive him. You stand there claiming I’m your son, but do you even deserve to be called a father?" The entire banquet hall exploded. No one had expected him to expose such ugly truths right in the middle of high society’s most influential gathering. The Gray family stood trembling with fury, staring at Arthur in disbelief. Even Julie was shocked. She had never expected Arthur to say all of this—right here, right now. This wasn’t just about humiliating himself. This was dragging the entire Gray family’s reputation through the mud. Everyone had family secrets, but who would so boldly air them out in front of the entire elite circle? John’s hand trembled as he pointed at Arthur, too furious to even form words. Arthur, however, was far from done. He pulled out his phone, calmly connecting it to the massive banquet hall screen. His voice rang through the venue, clear and unwavering. "As for Zac’s accusation that I stole his suit, let me show you something. After watching this, you can all decide for yourselves whether I’m a thief or not." Zac’s heart dropped. A terrible premonition struck him, but before he could react, Arthur had already pressed play.The giant screen lit up, displaying a video recording. Though the footage wasn’t crystal clear, it was unmistakable—it showed Zac and Arthur standing outside the school dormitory. Zac was holding a suit in both hands, handing it to Arthur with a friendly smile. "Arthur, I’m giving you this suit as a gift. Consider it an apology. You should wear it to my birthday banquet—you’re sixteen now, it’s time you got to know high society." As the video played, Zac’s face turned paler and paler. John, Raelynn, Rosie, and Susie’s expressions turned ghostly white. Panic flooded Zac’s face. He finally snapped, his pretense completely shattering. "Turn it off! Shut it down! Now!" he screamed hysterically. But it was too late. The video wasn’t long—just a few seconds. By the time Zac finished shouting, the footage had already ended. The entire banquet hall erupted in a deafening wave of discussions. This time, it was louder than before. "Holy hell! I can’t believe this! That Zac looks like such a refined young man, but he’s actually this kind of person?" "Did he binge-watch too many family drama shows? Is this the level of scheming he thinks works in real life?" "I’ve seen family rivalries before, but this is just pathetic." "I already thought it was crazy that the Gray family favored their adopted son so much. But to find out that the adopted son is even worse than the family itself?" "The Gray family may be a respected name in South City, but they’re not at the level of an untouchable elite. I might need to reconsider my partnership with them. Their judgment is clearly lacking." "Agreed. Our business collaborations are long-term investments. If the Gray family is this blind to Zac’s true nature, what happens if they actually let him run the company one day? He could ruin us all." "This proves that Mr. John’s business acumen isn’t as sharp as we thought. If he can’t even see what’s happening in his own household, how can we trust him with partnerships?" "My company isn’t something I built overnight. I can’t risk everything on such an unstable family." "That Arthur… he’s really pitiful. He just had the misfortune of being born to the wrong parents." "Growing up with such clueless parents, no wonder this kid never stood a chance." "And to think this Zac kid has been scheming all this time. Who knows what Arthur has been through?" This time, the criticism wasn’t subtle whispers—it was blunt, open condemnation. Many of the guests were longtime business partners of the Gray family. Some were even direct competitors. The room was filled with executives, CEOs, and investors. The Gray family’s financial stability depended on these connections. Hearing their murmurs, seeing their wary expressions, John and Raelynn’s vision blurred. John staggered. His breath came in quick, shallow gasps. Raelynn’s face drained of color. Their bodies wobbled. Then, without warning— Both of them collapsed. Julie, Rosie, and Susie screamed, rushing to catch them as they crumpled to the floor. Arthur watched the scene unfold, utterly unmoved. He didn’t step forward. He made no effort to help. The feeling of drowning, of helplessness, as the icy water had swallowed him in his past life was still fresh in his mind. From that moment on, in his heart, John and Raelynn were no longer his parents. His three sisters were no longer his family.They could collapse all they wanted. It had nothing to do with him. The Gray family was left scrambling to tend to their unconscious parents. And Arthur? He stood there, watching it all unfold with a calm, unreadable expression.