John was completely stunned by Mr. Lane’s reaction. In the past, the school’s previous principal had no issue accepting gifts from parents—especially those from wealthy families. It had practically become a tradition to send something during every holiday. It wasn’t just the principal; teachers of various subjects received their share of gifts too. After all, every parent wanted their child to have the best possible education and treatment at school. Yet, Mr. Lane had just publicly rejected him—loudly, in front of so many people. John frowned, but he wasn’t discouraged. He pulled out another card and approached Mr. Lane again, this time lowering his voice. “Mr. Lane, here’s three hundred thousand. I just need you to look after my son. That’s all.” Clearly, the problem was that his earlier offer was too low. John firmly believed that no one in this world would refuse money. He wasn’t asking for anything outrageous—just a little leniency and extra care for Zac. Three hundred thousand for something so simple? Any rational person would jump at the opportunity. After all, who would turn down free money? Apparently, Mr. Lane would. He looked at John as if he were an idiot and, without hesitation, raised his voice again. “Mr. John, accepting bribes is a crime. Are you trying to get me arrested?” John: “…” What the hell was wrong with this guy? This wasn’t how things were supposed to go! The previous principal had been taking bribes for years. Every well-off family in this school had given their share of gifts. On a teacher’s salary alone, how else could the former principal afford a luxurious villa in the best part of town? John wasn’t the only one thrown off by Mr. Lane’s response. Other students in the classroom exchanged glances, equally shocked. Many of their families had also sent gifts to the former principal, and some were already planning to do the same for the new one. After all, they still had two more years at this school. If a little “gift” could help ensure better treatment or smoother academic progress, why not? Arthur had suffered in school precisely because of this system. John had given so many gifts to ensure Zac’s favored status, while Arthur—just a “poor” student who never contributed to the bribes—was ignored, bullied, and treated like a nuisance. Since no one at school knew Arthur was a Gray, people like Liu Xin had taken the opportunity to gang up on him. Now, with Mr. Lane openly rejecting bribery—and from the head of Gray Corporation, no less—many students from less privileged backgrounds secretly sighed in relief. The previous principal had blatantly favored students from wealthy families. If two students had a conflict, it didn’t matter who was right or wrong—the one who gave more gifts would always win. That was exactly why Zac had been able to act so arrogantly in school for so long, unchecked. No one dared to stand up to him. No one dared to help Arthur. Ms. Ruby, who had been watching the exchange with growing impatience, finally spoke up. “Mr. John, this is class time. The students are waiting. Please don’t disrupt the lesson. If you have something to discuss, you can do so after class.” The Gray family members looked at her in disbelief. Was she… was she asking them to leave? They had marched in with full confidence, expecting to put Arthur in his place. How had the situation flipped so drastically? John wanted to protest, but before he could, Mr. Lane casually gestured toward the door. “Gentlemen and ladies, that way, please.” John was seething. He wanted to lash out, to demand they listen to him, but he knew Zac still had to continue studying here. He couldn’t afford to antagonize the school leadership too much. Forcing himself to suppress his rage, he turned to Arthur and barked, “Come with me. Now.” Zac opened his mouth, about to say something. Confronting Arthur in the classroom was his best chance.He had wanted to play the victim in front of everyone, to guilt-trip Arthur into giving in. He was confident that, with enough manipulation, people would once again take his side. Last night, he had been caught off guard. Arthur had secretly recorded their conversation, and now, Zac desperately needed a way to clear his name. But before he could say anything, Mr. Lane had completely thrown off his plans. This principal… was truly a stubborn fool. Zac glanced at John’s dark expression and ultimately decided to hold his tongue. It was fine. His parents wouldn’t let Arthur off the hook so easily. Once Arthur was kicked out of the family for good, Zac could spread whatever rumors he wanted. He could still turn things around. But then, Arthur spoke. In an utterly indifferent tone, he replied, “Mr. John, I have class right now. We can talk after.” That one sentence sent John’s fury skyrocketing. “You little—” John clenched his fists, veins bulging. “You dare call me Mr. John? Do you even acknowledge me as your father?” His voice was ice-cold, dripping with barely contained rage. Arthur met his glare head-on and asked, “Have you ever treated me like your son?”