The casual remark exploded like a thunderclap in Gregory’s ears.
His body quivered. A chill ran down his spine as his expression stiffened. “What nonsense are you spewing?! Are you saying I killed Gary? You are my son… How can you view your father with such suspicion?!”
“It’s not a suspicion. I am merely stating facts.” Grant crossed his long legs leisurely, sipping his tea with an air of composure. “But in truth, I have no intention of blaming you. On the contrary, I understand the decision you made. After all, you and I are facing the same predicament.”
Gregory’s breath hitched. The man before him, whom he had watched grow up, now seemed like a bloodthirsty predator poised to seize his throat.
“Back then, even though you were the eldest son and rightfully the heir, Grandpa favored Uncle Gary. He entrusted him with several promising projects, silently paving the way for him to take over the corporation. Over time, Uncle Gary’s reputation in the company overshadowed yours. What struck you the hardest was that he was not only a capable businessman but also an outstanding leader. The only area where he fell short was his temperament. He was too kind and forgiving. Unlike you, who wielded power with ruthless precision.”
Grant’s voice was calm, recounting the events as if they were nothing more than everyday matters. “So, when the Salvador Corporation was caught in a bribery scandal, Uncle Gary stepped forward. For the sake of the family, for the sake of his dear elder brother, he willingly took the blame and went to prison.”
Gregory turned deathly pale. A sharp pain gripped his heart.
A secret buried for 30 years was now laid bare. Yet what shocked him more was how Grant, merely an infant at the time, had come to know the truth.
“Even in death, my kind Uncle Gary probably never realized that from the moment he offered to take the fall, he had already stepped into your trap—one that would mean his demise.”
Grant rested an elbow on the sofa’s armrest, his long, pale fingers tapping lightly against his temple. “Let me guess... Hmm. To persuade him, you must have used me as leverage, playing the role of a pitiful father. After all, I was just a child. My mother was mentally unstable. If you were gone, our family would have collapsed.
“Meanwhile, Uncle Gary was still unmarried and childless—the perfect scapegoat. So, Dad, in the end, I was nothing more than a pawn in your game.”
“You—!”
Gregory’s heart pounded violently, on the verge of bursting. "Who filled your head with such twisted thoughts?!”
Instinctively, Gregory forgot to deny it. His only impulse was to uncover the source because what Grant said was not slander. It was the truth.
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