Chapter 169 Hypocrisy

Had you ever seen a man at his lowest, consumed by anger, grief, and hate?

All those emotions tangled up together.

Frank lay on the ground, pounding the floor with his fists, gritting his teeth, occasionally coughing up blood. His eyes were wide open, his mouth agape as if he wanted to swallow Ronald whole. He looked like a wild dog hit by a car, utterly disheveled and desperate.

Once the high-flying business genius of Silverlight City, now fallen into the dust, his face covered in ash and dirt from the rooftop, he looked like a destitute beggar, screaming hysterically.

"Anger and hatred are what keep you alive, my child."

Ronald squatted down, looking at Frank with a sense of regret. His expression was like that of a craftsman looking at a nearly perfect piece of art, shattered in a fit of rage, only to feel a sense of loss afterward.

"Among all the kids, you were the most outstanding. Your thoughts were always different from theirs. You were like a sharp sword. Your attempts to hide and disguise were always so naive, but I admired that spirit in you. Because of that spirit, I arranged the perfect life for you, the script you loved. I even tolerated your relationship with Laura."

"Even the strictest father has a bit of indulgence for his child." Ronald sighed, speaking to himself.

After a long silence, Alan shook his head and said, "Hypocrite, beyond redemption."

"Oh? Alan, you know, if you hadn't left the old steel mill, maybe none of this would have happened." Ronald said, "Leaving the old steel mill seemed impossible, but I did leave in the end."

Alan frowned, sighed deeply, and looked around as if searching for someone's shadow.

Looking back now, when Alan ran out of the old steel mill, Ronald must have known. Why didn't he use his influence to bring Alan back?

Ronald's face turned grim. He snorted and said nothing.

"Do you feel some guilt? When Charles left the country and Erica was busy with work, you were entrusted to look after the old steel mill, which still operated under the guise of a welfare institution. As long as someone was willing to adopt, the kids could theoretically leave on their own."

Alan withdrew his gaze, showing a hint of worry and disappointment, quickly hiding it before continuing, "You never thought that Erica was the one seeking to adopt the children."

No wonder. I understood now. When Alan, Tom, and Lally managed to leave the old steel mill, it wasn't because they escaped on their own. Someone was protecting them, and that person was Erica.

So, from twenty years ago, Erica knew everything about this and Ronald's actions.

My heart sank at the thought. I was grateful to Erica, but she didn't fully expose the old steel mill's deeds twenty years ago. Instead, she slowly rescued the children as an adoptive parent. This was her kindness, but also her way of protecting Ronald.

"Erica deceived me. I thought she truly didn't know about these things."

Ronald seemed a bit lost and angry.

"Erica was giving you a chance, sacrificing so many children in the hope that you would realize your mistakes and make amends. Not only did you commit heinous crimes, but you also dragged Erica into the abyss of sin!"

I couldn't take it anymore and shouted angrily, "You just called yourself their father, Ronald. Do you really believe that? Don't you have a daughter of your own? Is your love for Zoey the same as for them? How hypocritical do you have to be to cover up your vile, cowardly heart? Do you need to fabricate a father's identity to numb yourself to your monstrous crimes? When you call yourself their father, do you ever think of Zoey?"

I yelled furiously, "You've burdened your wife with twenty years of invisible pain, and now you want to pass that burden onto your daughter. Do you know how much Zoey suffers? How much power and status do you need to fill your dirty, empty heart? You scoundrel! Hypocrite!"

Ronald was stunned by my outburst. He lowered his head, deep in thought for a long time, then looked at Alan and me with a meaningful glance.

He said, "Oh, I see. George didn't appear out of nowhere. George took care of Alan and adopted Tom because of Erica, right? I was setting up a game, and Erica was setting up a game. We finally reached an equal footing, and it started twenty years ago!"

Ronald seemed excited, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"Erica loves you, understands you, and wants to save you. Mr. Thompson and Erica aren't close; it's just a foster relationship. He didn't take Erica's money. Don't tarnish Erica, and don't tarnish Mr. Thompson, who still considers you a friend."

Alan's voice was low, filled with sorrow, as he slowly said, "When you wanted to kill George, I knew your true intention. You weren't trying to kill George; you were trying to kill another version of yourself."

Ronald's eyes widened, his mouth opened in shock. After a long time, he said wearily, "You're right. Mr. Thompson was my only friend. During those days, I saw him as a reflection of my former self. I admired and respected him. Such noble ideals, facing fate with a mortal's mindset. Once, I was like that too. But the world isn't what you say it is, my boy."

He continued, "There is no victory without sacrifice. What I need to do requires cutting myself off completely, without a shred of hesitation. Mr. Thompson being alive was the biggest obstacle. He didn't have to die, but his sense of justice wouldn't allow him to live otherwise. Howard understood this. He was a man of emotions. After losing hope, he quit the legal field and went into business. Out of guilt, Erica and I have secretly helped him a lot over the years."

When Ronald mentioned Howard and George, his voice noticeably softened, and his eyes showed some unease. Especially when talking about Howard, he paused, looked up, and sighed deeply before saying slowly, "I have a clear conscience."

"Ronald, you have a clear conscience? To whom? To us?" Frank suddenly went mad.

Alan said, "Frank, calm down."

"Get away from me! Alan, you're so smart, always above it all. You knew about my illness all along, didn't you? Was it all for today? Thank you, Alan! You have such a cruel heart!"

Frank had completely lost it.