Chapter 10 Arthur’s Defiance

Arthur frowned, stepping quickly in front of Ashley, his sharp gaze fixed on John. "Even an outsider can see what’s happening, but you’re pretending not to. Zac, your adopted son, has been bullying me, your biological son, for years, and you’ve never cared about my injuries. Do you even deserve to be called my parents?" Arthur knew Ashley had acted out of kindness, simply to defend what was right. He couldn’t let her bear any blame because of him. Ashley stared at Arthur, stunned by his actions. This boy, who had endured bullying silently for years, was now standing in front of me, protecting me. No one had ever done that for me before. John’s rage erupted further at Arthur’s boldness. Pointing a shaking finger at Arthur, he yelled, "You ungrateful wretch! You get into fights, get beaten up, and it’s all your fault! And now you dare to say we’re unfit as parents? If it weren’t for us taking you in, you’d have starved to death! How dare you! You’re nothing but an ungrateful wretch!" Pulling off his belt, John prepared to strike Arthur. Arthur’s memories flashed vividly; this was how it had always been. When he was younger, every time he told his parents about Zac and his bullies, his cries only earned him another beating from John. Eventually, Arthur stopped talking about it, hiding his injuries beneath his clothes, terrified that being found out would lead to more punishment. As the belt was about to fall, a strong hand caught it firmly. Detective James, his face darkened with anger, stared at John and said in a cold tone, "Mr. John, are you truly trying to assault someone in a police station? Do you have no respect for the law or this station?" Moments earlier, Detective James had been reviewing Xavier’s statements. When he stepped outside, he saw John about to strike Arthur with the belt. As Detective James stopped the belt, Arthur stepped back and lowered his hand. With his current reflexes, Arthur knew John wouldn’t have been able to hit him as long as he was ready. Seeing Detective James intervene, John immediately forced a smile. "Detective James, you’ve misunderstood. I was merely disciplining my disobedient son. I didn’t mean to trouble you." John kept grinning and bowing slightly in apology. Detective James’s influence was well-known. He wasn’t just a local precinct chief but someone even John wouldn’t dare offend lightly. "Hmph," Detective James snorted, discarding the belt. Initially, he had thought the Gray family’s neglect of Arthur stemmed from their preoccupation with wealth. Now he realized there was more beneath the surface. "If you want the truth, watch the surveillance footage." He inserted a memory card into the computer. The screen flickered to life, displaying clear video footage. John and Raelynn, realizing they had no choice, turned their attention to the screen in silence. The video showed a group of students pushing a frail boy into a corner. Although much of the boy was obscured by the crowd, it was undoubtedly Arthur. At the forefront of the group, leading the charge, was Zac. The footage, taken in the school hallway, showed Zac standing over Arthur with an expression of disdain and contempt. The aggressive and arrogant behavior on display was a stark contrast to the sweet and gentle image Zac portrayed at home. Arthur cowered timidly, trying to avoid Zac’s casual kicks. John and Raelynn watched the video in disbelief. "Is that… really Zac?" John’s voice had lost its earlier assertiveness. "This… this can’t be! Zac is always so polite and well-mannered. How could he do that?" Raelynn’s voice faltered, unable to reconcile the image on the screen with the son she thought she knew. "Oh? Zac, gentle and well-behaved? Do you even know what those words mean?" Ashley taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. In the entire school, Zac was the person she despised the most! John and Raelynn were left without words this time. Arthur, feeling it was pointless to stay any longer, decided to leave. He hadn’t had a single meal all day. Looking at Detective James, he asked, "Detective James, may I leave now?" As if on cue, his stomach growled loudly. Arthur, embarrassed, said softly, "I haven’t eaten all day, and I’m really hungry." His voice sounded weak and exhausted, a result of both hunger and the earlier fight. "You haven’t eaten all day?" Detective James asked, visibly surprised as he looked at Arthur. He gave Arthur a comforting pat on the shoulder and said, "Go grab something to eat, kid. Treat yourself to a cake and celebrate your birthday. Don’t worry too much about anything else." At those words, John and Raelynn finally remembered it was Arthur’s birthday today!