Raelynn sighed in disappointment. “What happened to Arthur? He was never like this before.” John, his face still flushed with rage, grew even angrier after hearing Zac’s words. “He has no respect for me at all! Looks like I haven’t beaten him enough!” With that, John turned on Raelynn and barked, “It’s all your fault! You spoiled him rotten! Look at him now—does he even look like a decent human being?” He was so furious he felt like he might explode—he had never been this angry in his life! Raelynn, caught off guard, was completely stunned. But seeing John so furious, she didn’t dare speak up. She had always poured all her affection into Zac. If anything, the claim that she had spoiled Arthur was utterly ridiculous. Julie frowned at the sight of her mother being wrongly accused and staying silent, looking so weak and helpless. She wanted to speak up, but as a daughter, it wasn’t her place to interfere in her parents’ quarrels. Instead, she changed the subject. “Have you all noticed that Arthur has changed?” “Hmph! He’s become even worse! A hundred times worse!” Susie immediately snapped. Julie’s frown deepened. That’s not what she meant. Yes, Arthur had changed, but if they were being fair, Zac had been in the wrong yesterday. However, Arthur had also completely disregarded the Gray family’s reputation, which was unacceptable. Still, deep down, Julie realized—Arthur’s change wasn’t about being bad. It was about survival. Rosie also furrowed her brows. “He’s definitely… different.” It had started on his birthday. Before that, no matter how much injustice he suffered, the moment they mentioned the family’s unity or the Gray family’s reputation, he would back down and apologize. But that day, when he had simply wanted a birthday cake, he fought back. It wasn’t that they couldn’t afford a cake—the Gray family was wealthy beyond measure.But Arthur always seemed to go against Zac, and they hated seeing Zac upset. Zac was weak and frail, while Arthur had always been strong, never once falling ill. No matter how much they scolded him, he never broke. Over time, they had stopped holding back. Because they knew—Arthur would always choose to endure. But on his birthday, he refused. He even insisted on moving into the dorms. While they were distracted taking Zac to the hospital, he left on his own. At the time, they thought he was just trying to get their attention. Then, news spread that Zac had been bullying him. The past few days had been filled with events that none of them had expected. Now, with Julie pointing it out, Rosie couldn’t help but wonder—had they really pushed Arthur too far? Had they driven him to this point? A group of people stood under the scorching sun. John’s anger only grew. Zac, wanting to suggest they move to the shade, hesitated when he saw John’s furious expression. Instead, he silently endured it, though he couldn’t help but rub his arms, worried that his pale skin would get sunburned. They waited through an entire class period before Arthur finally strolled down the steps at a leisurely pace. By now, their skin had turned red from the harsh sunlight, especially the three sisters and Zac. John’s fury reached its peak. The moment he saw Arthur, he exploded. “Arthur! Do you have a death wish?! How dare you make us wait out here for so long?!” His booming voice turned heads, drawing attention from all directions. Arthur lazily rubbed his ears, as if John’s yelling was too loud for his liking. “What exactly do you want?”John, seeing his nonchalant attitude, lost the last shred of his patience. He didn’t care about the onlookers anymore—he raised his hand, ready to slap Arthur across the face! But just as the slap was about to land, Arthur caught his wrist in a tight grip. In an instant, his relaxed demeanor disappeared. His gaze turned cold and piercing, his expression unreadable as he stared John down. A slow, mocking smile curved his lips. “Mr. John,” Arthur said in a voice as sharp as a blade. “Are you planning to abuse me again?” The words "abuse" and "domestic violence" rang through the air like a thunderclap. People around them immediately turned to stare. The term "domestic violence" usually made people think of husbands hitting their wives. But in reality, it covered far more than that. Domestic violence included all forms of physical, emotional, financial, and psychological abuse within a family—whether between spouses, parents and children, or even elder abuse. And now, Arthur had thrown that accusation out in front of an entire audience.