My Alleged Husband

Chapter 976: Chapter 869: Elimination of the Weak (Part 1)

Zhang Zhentian only now realizes that his son harbors such immense ambition. Every word his son speaks is perfectly reasonable, yet he himself has no way to refute it. He can only allow his son to control him again and again, because he hasn’t done anything that justifies opposing his son.

What kind of pressure has he placed on his son to make him turn into the person he is today? He has become so terrifying, so unrecognizable—a far cry from the person Zhang thought he knew. Step by step, his son has transformed into this version of himself, and Zhang wonders whether it all has something to do with him. Is his son really doomed to live like this for the rest of his life? If that’s the case, what choice would Zhang’s inner conscience make?

Zhang knows full well that his return to this home carries ulterior motives, yet his son has never exposed him. His son preserved all his dignity and pride, hoping Zhang would be honest, that he could stay peacefully in this home. But the way Zhang has acted—does it truly reflect a desire to live peacefully here? What exactly does his behavior say about how he views the people in this family, how he values the loved ones in this home? Looking back at everything he’s done in recent years, there isn’t a single thing he’s done right. How many people he has hurt, how deeply he’s wounded them—he has never once stopped to calculate the depths of that pain.

”Son, you’ve always known that I returned to this house with ulterior motives, that I had selfish intentions. But why didn’t you confront me directly? Time and again, you preserved all my dignity and pride for me. And yet, the harm I’ve brought upon you—do you think it was worth it? Everything you’ve done was so I could stay here peacefully, yet now I’m leaving this house. Even now, you won’t reveal my thoughts and intentions to everyone? Why are you so kind to me as a father, when I don’t even deserve to be your father?”

”You’ve always known everything I’ve done over the years. You’ve always known I don’t care much for this family. Yet why do you insist on keeping all this hidden for me? You’re so naive. You’ve always known my return would only bring you harm, yet you still went to plead with Grandfather, insisting on bringing me back here. Why would you do this? Is it to deepen my guilt, or is it to remind me again and again that I can never escape the ties you’ve bound me with, that I’ll remain trapped in your heart forever without a way out?”

”Do you really think I’m foolish and innocent? I’ve known every single thing you’ve done, yet I chose to say nothing. This was my way of ensuring you’d stay in this house forever, unable to leave for the rest of your life. But I didn’t expect you’d expose this matter in front of everyone today! Do you not want to stay in this house anymore? Do you truly believe everything you’ve worked for can simply be discarded? Have you considered your own future? You’ve cut off all avenues for yourself because, in your eyes, none of this matters. You don’t care about anything, because deep down you’ve never viewed us as family.

Sometimes I truly feel sorrow. Grandfather worked tirelessly to raise you, hoping that someday you’d pay him back with filial piety, that you’d stay by his side. Yet when you grew up, you abandoned him for your wife. To him, this is surely the greatest failure of his life. You’ve destroyed everything, yet he still thinks about how to leave all his love for you. Do you think someone like you could truly earn Grandfather’s genuine love? He gave all his love to me, but what about you?

Sometimes, ask yourself honestly: Are your actions worthy of his repeated forgiveness? Just because he’s your father, does that mean you’re justified in hurting him recklessly? Do you think his heart wouldn’t feel pain, wouldn’t grow cold after everything? Every time you hurt him, he silently sheds tears alone. When he looks at photographs of Grandfather and his wife together, do you know how much anguish it brings him? That was his wife. He keeps saying how wonderful it would be if his wife were still alive. You have your wife, but does that mean he doesn’t have one? You’re unwilling to part with your own wife, but does that mean he’s willing? Again and again, he swallows all his pain and tears, wanting to leave behind an ideal image for us. But how have you treated him?

He’s your father, not your enemy. Does everything you’ve done honor the sincerity he’s shown you?

It feels like every time you deal with your father, it’s always like this. You’ve never once truly regarded him as your family. To you, he’s just someone to use, and to me, he’s only brought harm again and again. In all my years as a son, I’ve never seen a single good example from you. Maybe none of this matters to you, but to me, every bit of it matters. Because I’ve witnessed firsthand the heavy toll you’ve inflicted on Grandfather’s heart. His life has been filled with so much pain—again and again, he turns his suffering into tears that he swallows silently. And what have you all been doing? Time and again, you repeat this cycle of hurting him, failing to bring him even the slightest joy. All he wants is to enjoy his twilight years, but you can’t even give him that.

If you truly wish for your father to live happily, then please grant him a path forward. Stop pushing him to his limits over and over. Every one of us has their own journey to take. What do you stand to gain by forcing your father this way? You’ve never treated him like your family. Your actions—sometimes they terrify me. I can’t fathom what kind of hatred could drive you to hurt your father so profoundly. Have you ever considered my feelings in all this? All you care about is yourself. But have you forgotten? Your loved ones also need your presence, your care, your love, your understanding!”