Chapter 1 He Had Been Reborn

A storage facility for the minds of the wealthy, maintained weekly to eliminate worries. "Come on, here is your Get Rich Quick Card." "Since you're good people, you'll be blessed." "Arthur! What's your problem? It's just a birthday. Can't you wait three days to celebrate with Zac? Isn't it the same?" Julie Gray, the eldest sister, tried to suppress her anger, but the impatience and disdain in her eyes deeply wounded Arthur Gray. Arthur sat dazed in the corner of the dining table, staring at his eldest sister's look of contempt. It was only then he truly realized that he had been reborn. And the reason for Julie's harsh scolding was simply this. Today was his birthday. He had wanted a birthday cake and was met with rebukes from everyone. But it was his birthday. He only wanted a cake. He wasn't trying to compete with Zac Gray for anything. "Exactly. You throw a fit every year. Just wait three days and celebrate together with Zac's birthday. It'll be so much more festive then," said Rosie Gray, the second sister, her impatience plain to see. She didn't even want to spare Arthur a glance. "You're just asking for trouble, aren't you? Zac's the youngest. How could you fight with him?" scoffed Susie Gray, the third sister, rolling her eyes and insulting Arthur without mercy. Even their dad, John Gray, and mom, Raelynn Mercer, wore expressions of blame. "Arthur, Zac's still young, and his health isn't good. Can't you just let him have this? Be mature and stop fighting with him," Raelynn chided. Arthur was all too familiar with this moral coercion. Since childhood, every time he asked for something, it always ended this way. When no one else was looking, Zac smirked at Arthur, raising an eyebrow in triumph. Then, almost immediately, Zac clutched his chest as though his weak heart had flared up, coughing softly. His voice came out frail. "Dad, Mom, Julie, Rosie, Susie, don't be angry. It's all my fault. I won't celebrate my birthday. Let Arthur have it. Please don't fight because of me." Upon hearing Zac's coughing, Raelynn panicked and hurried to soothe him, patting his back while frowning at Arthur. "Arthur, you're a grown man now. How can you still fight Zac over a birthday? He's your little brother, and he's not in good health. Can't you give way to him?" John immediately reassured Zac, "Don't worry, Zac. For your birthday, I will throw you a grand celebration, just like always. I've already sent out the invitations. It's booked at the same luxurious Glenford Hotel as every year." Thinking back to the neglect Zac endured as a child in the orphanage due to his oversight, John's heart ached. He wanted nothing more than to give Zac the best the world had to offer to make up for his guilt. Arthur looked expressionlessly at this absurd family. He was their biological child, but Zac, that manipulative fake, was just an adopted son! Zac relied on his congenital heart disease to endlessly garner sympathy, stealing all of Arthur's things and the family's love with his fake sweetness and manipulative words. Yet his biological parents and three sisters always fell for it. To accommodate Zac's feelings, the Gray family even claimed to the public that Zac was their biological son, taking him alone to all kinds of high-end banquets. Even shares in the Gray Corporation were listed under Zac's name. In the elite circles of today, everyone knew Zac as the son of the Gray family. As for Arthur, most people hadn't even heard of him. As a child, Arthur didn't understand. He had thrown tantrums and cried, but these only earned him harsher criticism, blame, and disgust from the family. Zac wasn't just manipulative. He also bullied Arthur relentlessly. The two were the same age and attended the same school, even the same class. Zac had gathered a group of wealthy troublemakers outside school and frequently led them to ambush Arthur, cornering him in bathrooms or alleys where they mercilessly beat him. The worst time, Zac assaulted him so severely that Arthur ended up in the hospital with fractures in both arms and legs, and three broken ribs. But to the Gray family, all of this was twisted into Arthur causing trouble and fighting at school. Arthur couldn't even remember how many times he was wrongfully accused. In his previous life, the repeated blame and the family's growing disgust turned him into someone meek and submissive. After they graduated college and entered the family business, Arthur's outstanding abilities began to threaten Zac, and Zac developed a murderous intent. On Arthur's 24th birthday, Zac insisted on going surfing. Arthur, who had nearly drowned as a child, had a deep-seated fear of the ocean, but the Gray family had all forgotten this. To please his family, Arthur forced himself to agree despite his discomfort. Once they were out at sea, Zac sent the family away and dragged the terrified Arthur underwater. When the Gray family heard the cries for help and rushed over, Zac pretended to choke on water while the family hurried to save him. But at that moment, Arthur had already managed to surface, desperately shouting for their help.