The Gray family’s treatment of Arthur was a clear case of child abuse—years of relentless verbal insults, physical violence, threats, financial control, and emotional manipulation had inflicted irreversible psychological damage on him. People often say, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Disciplining a child when they misbehave is understandable. But too many parents project their frustrations onto their children—the one person in their lives who can’t fight back. Because the child couldn't resist, the abusers became more and more emboldened. And for the victim? It all boiled down to one thing—they were simply never loved. Arthur had tried to resist when he was younger. He fought back. But he was too young. His struggles didn’t change a thing. If anything, they made the beatings worse. So, he learned to stop fighting. He adapted to the abuse. He became obedient, hoping that by doing so, they might go easier on him. Some people spend their entire lives trying to heal from their childhood. The scars of domestic violence never truly fade. John was the kind of parent who would never wake up to the truth. He would never recognize his mistakes. And even on the rare occasions when he felt a sliver of guilt, the moment Zac’s interests were threatened, he would immediately turn on Arthur again. Faced with Arthur’s defiance, John didn’t stop to reflect. He only grew angrier. Arthur’s grip on his wrist was unshakable. No matter how hard John struggled, he couldn’t break free. The surrounding crowd whispered among themselves. John’s raised hand trembled, still frozen mid-air—stuck in the very pose of a father about to strike his child. "Arthur!" John’s glare was murderous, as if he wanted to tear Arthur apart. Susie shrieked, "Arthur! Do you have any conscience at all? That’s your father—the man who gave you life!" Arthur let out a cold chuckle. "Guilt-tripping? Again?" Life and upbringing—he would repay them. But if they thought they could continue abusing him, if they thought he’d still let them guilt-trip him into submission? They were dreaming. Raelynn grew more anxious as the murmurs in the crowd grew louder. She quickly grabbed John’s arm. "John, calm down! Let’s discuss this at home." Family matters should never be aired in public. If this escalated, it would be a huge stain on the Gray family’s reputation. John was starting to notice the judgmental looks around him as well. With a sudden burst of strength, he yanked his arm, trying to break free from Arthur’s grip. Arthur smirked. Just as suddenly, he let go. John, caught off guard, stumbled backward and nearly fell. Zac reacted quickly, rushing forward to catch him. "Dad!" Then, he turned to Arthur, his expression filled with exaggerated concern. "Arthur, how could you treat Dad like this? He’s your father. Disrespecting your elders… Heaven is watching, you know. Evil deeds never go unpunished."He made it seem like he was advising Arthur, but his words clearly framed him as an ungrateful son who would face divine retribution. As expected, the murmurs around them started shifting. Arthur scoffed. He wasn’t going to let Zac take control of the narrative again. With a smirk, he fired back. "Zac, you’re the one telling me that evil deeds get punished? Do you even hear yourself? You’re not afraid of getting struck by lightning?" Zac froze. The crowd instantly recalled last night’s headline news—the scandal was still fresh in everyone’s minds. People immediately began whispering about it again. Zac, feeling their eyes on him, instinctively clutched his chest, preparing to fake his usual heart attack. Arthur rolled his eyes and waved a dismissive hand. "Enough. Not the ‘chest pain’ act again. You’re really not tired of using the same trick?" Zac’s hands stiffened. His expression, which had been carefully crafted into a look of pain, suddenly froze. He didn’t know what to do next. Arthur was already turning away, heading toward the shade at the edge of the field. The summer sun was relentless, and he had no interest in standing around like a roasting pig. The Gray family, not wanting to be gawked at like a circus act, hurriedly followed him. They had been standing in the heat for far too long already. Their skin was burning, and their bodies were close to their limits. In their rush, they failed to notice Zac’s dilemma. Zac stood there, alone, in front of the crowd.Halfway through his dramatic act, he had no idea whether to continue pretending or drop it entirely. He had never been left stranded like this before. For the first time, he was exposed—the only monkey in the cage while everyone else had walked away. His awkward, frozen expression would undoubtedly become the internet’s newest meme. Fuming, Zac stormed after them. Meanwhile, Arthur couldn’t shake off a strange feeling. They were all very busy people. Even when they were furious at him, they would normally just call him to scold him over the phone. Why were they wasting so much time on him then?