My Alleged Husband

Chapter 459: Chapter 438: Malpractice for Personal Gain (Part 2)_1

Two days later...

Zhang Family...

Zhang Zhentian returned home to find his father sitting on the sofa watching television. He hesitated over whether or not to speak to his father. As he grappled with indecision, Old Master Zheng was about to head upstairs when he saw his son behind him. His son remained silent, and he did not know what his son might have uncovered, but judging by his son’s expression, he guessed some of it.

Just as Zhang Zhentian was ready to tell his father the undeniable truth, his biological son arrived home. When Zhang Yichen saw his father had come home and was about to say something to his daughter, how much she wished he would say what she hoped for, not to let Grandpa be heartbroken again. She looked at her father with pleading eyes, but to Zhang Zhentian, he might as well have been indifferent. Pretending to see nothing, he ignored all emotions. All he wanted was his wife to return to his side. Yet he didn’t realize how much pain his son and his father felt inside because of his words, which destroyed all their hope. They came clinging to the last shred of hope, wishing he would turn back, but never did they expect him to choose to continue making mistakes, ultimately heading down a road with no return.

”Now that you’re back, then tell me,” Old Master Zhang said to Zhang Zhentian, ”Speak honestly about what you found. I expect you to do as you’ve promised, with absolutely no concealment. You vowed to tell me everything clearly, leaving no room for concern. Since you’ve said this, I hope you can deliver. Don’t make me think you’re inconsistent!”

”This matter, I’ve already looked into it thoroughly. Since you both are here, I will tell you. This has nothing to do with my wife. The person they’re talking about is not her. She didn’t commit that act. Regardless of the outcome of my investigation, I believe she’s innocent. In my heart, she will always be my wife. I’m also aware of the consequences this will bring, but I still hope you can give me a chance, to let my wife and me come back home. I believe she won’t do such a thing again.”

As Zhang Zhentian spoke these words, Old Master Zhang and his grandson were both taken aback. The last sliver of hope they had held onto was nothing but an illusion. In his heart, his own child could never see his family; all he wanted was his so-called wife, whom he would choose over everything else. But in doing so, he now left everyone deeply wounded.

Elder Zhang struggled to contain his disappointment and anger. He asked his son, ”Are you saying that Xia Jing is not involved in this matter at all, and that the person in the footage isn’t her?”

”Exactly, this has nothing to do with my wife. The person in the footage is not her. I trust she would not commit such a disgraceful act. I hope that you, Dad, will trust her too. I hope our family can give us a bit of hope, not to shatter our desire to return home, okay?”

”Zhang Zhentian, I won’t say anything else, I’ll just ask you one thing,” Old Master Zhang said, ”Can you swear, upon your conscience, that there isn’t a single lie in what you’ve said, no concealment or favoritism towards us?”

”I swear, every word I’ve said is true, without any favoritism. I have not concealed anything from Dad. I realize you don’t trust me by saying this, so to prove the truth of my words, if I have shown favoritism or concealed anything, from this day forward, I will never set foot in the Zhang family home again!”

”Alright, remember the words you said today. Now I ask you to leave the Zhang family and never come back. Do you really think I’m a fool? Do you really think all of us in the Zhang family are less intelligent than you? Don’t forget you have an exceptionally bright son, who has reached his current status all by himself. You should know how difficult his journey has been, how smart he is. Since you’ve chosen to lie today to cover for your wife, it just shows that you’ve forsaken me as your father, forsaken your son, forsaken our family. You have never truly wanted to return; so why waste our time? After this incident occurred, I had your son investigate, and he found evidence linking it to his mother. He didn’t hide anything from me, his grandfather, because he sees me as the most important person in his life. It was I who raised him with hardship, I who gave him everything, I who lent him the courage to live again. Where were you then? What right do you have to hurt us again and again? Just because once, you were family? No, not anymore; you are no longer part of this family. You must take responsibility for your own words. Since you said you’ve hidden something from us, never step into the Zhang family home again. Leave now; the Zhang family’s doors will not welcome you, nor will you be allowed in, not even after my death.”

”Dad, I never imagined you’d say such things to Grandpa, those words that shattered the last bit of hope between me and him. If that’s how it is, why should we have any hope for you? How you’ve hurt me and Grandpa so deeply! We placed so much trust in you and valued you so much. Yet this is how you treat us? I really can’t understand; what kind of heart do you have, one of stone and iron? Even with a heart of stone, considering Grandpa’s repeated forgiveness for your grave mistakes, it should have softened by now. But why are you still so heartless and cold? Do you know how much you’re hurting me and Grandpa again? Last night, we were still worried, afraid this thing would turn out to be true, but you manipulated the situation, and still, you couldn’t escape fate’s control, because you chose to conceal it, without a moment’s hesitation, burying the truth. This proves you no longer consider anyone in our family, in your heart. So from now on, just as Grandpa said, and as you swore yourself, never step into the Zhang family home again...”