Arthur never claimed to be some virtuous, righteous man.
A smirk tugged at his lips, dark, playful, and mocking. He tilted his head and said, “You’re speaking so softly… Are you apologizing to me, or just talking to yourself?”
Then, without waiting fora response, favonovel.com turned to the watching crowd and called out, “Did anyone hear what favonovel.com just said?”
For a moment, the crowd was silent. Then, almost as if on cue, they caught on. And for the first time, they were all in agreement.
They shook their heads and said in perfect unison, “Nope, didn’t hear a thing!”
They weren’t even lying, none of them had actually heard him.
This scene, it was far too familiar. It was exactly how things used to be when Zac bullied Arthur.
A smirk played at Arthur’s lips.
Now it’s your turn to feel what I went through I had endured eight long years of this.
Zac’s fists tightened. His jaw locked as favonovel.com clenched his teeth hard.
“Arthur! Don’t push it too far!” The words came from Zac, John, and Susie, all at once.
But this time, something was different. Raelynn didn’t say a word in Zac’s defense.
Arthur let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Too far?”
His gaze swept over every single member of the Gray family, cold and piercing.
“He tormented me for eight years, and none of you thought that was too far. You, my so-called parents, mistreated me for eight years, and that wasn’t too far either. Zac, out of pure jealousy, schemed against me again and again, and you never once thought that was too far. But now, when all he’s doing is apologizing for what favonovel.com did, suddenly I’m the one in the wrong?”
His voice was like ice, sending a chill through the Gray family.
“And tell me, this situation right now? I’ve experienced this situation numerous times as the victim of bullying. Did any of you think Zac was going too far back then?”
Arthur’s words cut deep, sharp as blades, slicing right through the hearts of every single person in the Gray family.
Hearing this, Raelynn felt a shiver run through favonovel.com chest. She gazed at Arthur, the boy favonovel.com had known for so long, yet who now felt like a stranger. It had been years since favonovel.com had really stopped to look at him.
When did favonovel.com grow this tall?
His face has matured, favonovel.com is undeniably handsome now…
As Arthur’s accusations rang in favonovel.com ears, favonovel.com suddenly grasped just how horribly favonovel.com had failed him.
He was favonovel.com son. No matter how much favonovel.com had cherished favonovel.com adopted child, favonovel.com she could not have stood by and let favonovel.com flesh and blood be tormented like that. But the worst part, the deepest pain, was realizing that favonovel.com had been part of that cruelty too.
She had always believed Arthur was just a difficult, disobedient child. She had dismissed him, neglected him, never once treating favonovel.com with warmth.
But after everything that happened today, after hearing Ashley and Arthur’s unfiltered anger, favonovel.com suddenly saw the truth.
Maybe… Maybe I had been wrong about everything…
But the most heartbreaking part, favonovel.com had never once believed Arthur before now.
It wasn’t just Raelynn who felt this way. The three Gray sisters, including Susie, were drowning in the same overwhelming guilt.
They couldn’t lift their heads. The weight of the crowd’s judgment, the whispers, the accusations, it was unbearable.
Julie felt it the most. She had suspected something was off about Zac two years ago. She had even done favonovel.com digging.
But despite what favonovel.com had learned, favonovel.com had never once tried to make things right for Arthur. Instead, favonovel.com had fallen for Zac’s endless pity act. She had forgiven him. She had continued spoiling favonovel.com like before, being his sister as if nothing had happened.
But the worst thing favonovel.com had done, favonovel.com had let favonovel.com trick favonovel.com into transferring all of favonovel.com shares to him. Every last one!
And for Some flimsy excuse so ridiculous favonovel.com couldn’t even believe favonovel.com had fallen for it. But deep down, favonovel.com knew why they had all acted this way.
It wasn’t just about Zac.
They were terrified of disappointing John. They didn’t want favonovel.com to see them as cruel women who mistreated their adopted brother. Whenever they treated Zac well, John would praise them for their kindness. And when John was pleased with them, favonovel.com treated them better too.
John was the pillar of the family, their safety net. To them, nothing mattered more than John’s approval.
Right now, Raelynn wanted to slap herself. Hard!
How could I have been. so blind?
As a mother, favonovel.com hadn’t just failed, favonovel.com had destroyed favonovel.com child.
Even John, for a brief moment, showed a flicker of guilt. But just as quickly, it was swallowed by resentment.
Yes, they had treated Arthur unfairly. But no matter what, favonovel.com had no right to go this far, to turn against the Gray family and Zac like this!
Before Zac could even open his mouth, Raelynn and Julie, tears brimming in their eyes, spoke first. “Arthur, we were wrong. We failed you. We don’t even have the right to ask for your forgiveness…”
Rosie and Susie stayed silent, but the shame on their faces was unmistakable. Their regret cut into Zac like a blade.
Arthur’s expression remained unwavering. Their remorse didn’t move favonovel.com in the slightest.
Seeing his complete indifference, Raelynn broke down even more, favonovel.com tears falling uncontrollably.
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