Upon returning home from completing a vital national project, I find out that my grandfather has been reduced to a cripple after being beaten up by a famous Internet star, Nathan Larsson.

All because Grandpa accidentally got in Nathan's way when he was picking up trash.

Enraged, I choose to call the cops on Nathan. But my CEO wife, Whitney Backman, becomes Nathan's witness.

She sits at the witness stand with a righteous look plastered on her face.

"Grandpa is sickly, to begin with. Yet he insists on picking up trash on his own. After he tripped and fell, he accused Nathan of pushing him! I can't just sit by and watch an innocent man get slandered! That's why I chose to defend him!"

Everyone present at the court supports Whitney's statement. Even the judge declares that Grandpa is guilty, and that we are to pay a huge compensation to Nathan.

Hatred brims in my eyes as I turn on the livestream and dig out Grandpa's medals of valor as well as my dad's first class medals.

Whitney Backman stood there looking all righteous, like some kind of guardian angel, as she shielded Nathan Larsson behind her.

"What are you even making a fuss about?" she snapped. "Grandpa fell on his own. Why are you still stirring up trouble?"

Her voice was sharp with anger and disgust. It was obvious she hated that I had taken Nathan to court.

No wonder she had kept Grandpa's condition from me all this time, brushing me off with claims that he was doing fine. No wonder she wouldn't let me see him. She was afraid I would rush back in a rage.

She was on Nathan's side all along—one of his people.

I swallowed the fury boiling in my chest and stared at her hard. "Grandpa is old. Why do you think he was out collecting trash? He just wanted to earn a little money to buy groceries so you wouldn't have to worry.

"After the state he's been beaten into, how could you still defend and side with Nathan? Grandpa treated you so well. How can you live with yourself?"

None of my words moved her. Instead, she rolled her eyes. "Do you have any idea what kind of family I come from? You think I need him to save me a few pennies? And by the way, this is a society ruled by law.

"I can't twist the truth just because he's your grandpa. Nathan only went over to help him up, and now he's being framed for something he didn't do. If that's how it goes, who would dare do a good deed ever again?"

Her tone was grand and unwavering as she declared, "I'm just standing up for justice—for this society, for the love in people's hearts."

With that, she lifted her burning gaze to the judge. "I'm willing to testify that Grandpa broke his leg by falling on his own, which led to his disability. Good people shouldn't be made to carry false allegations!"

The good people she kept talking about were, of course, Nathan, that utterly disgusting bastard.

Compared to her torrent of righteous words and moral outrage, all I could do was submit the video evidence I had fought so hard to obtain. A passerby had filmed it, and I had spent an enormous amount of time and effort tracking it down.

The footage clearly showed Nathan beating Grandpa. There was even a part where the person filming was warned to stop.

To my surprise, when the video started playing, it turned into a suggestive dance clip instead. The evidence had been swapped. My head buzzed.

Nathan smiled mockingly at me. "You seem to have quite a unique kink, Mr. Sharp. To think you'd bring something like this out to enjoy at a time and place like this."

I turned to look at Whitney, seated in the witness box for the defense. She was smirking and staring at me with naked triumph. Before this, only she had known about that piece of evidence.

The anger inside me finally boiled over. I shot to my feet and pointed straight at her across the room. "You actually switched the evidence and used something like this to smear me? Do you have any conscience left at all?"

Faced with my fury, Whitney showed no panic. Instead, she gave Nathan a reassuring look before standing up to confront me.

"I initially wanted to put an end to this quietly. I thought, as long as no trouble was caused, I was willing to let things rest," she said softly. "But you kept pushing and tried to accuse Nathan. I have no choice but to force the truth down your throat."

As she spoke, she handed another piece of video evidence. On the screen, Grandpa's expression looked harsh as he stared at Whitney.

"I don't care! He's compensating me one way or another! Who cares if he's some Internet celebrity or public figure? If he doesn't pay, I'm not letting this go!"

It was Grandpa's voice and face, yet the feeling was completely wrong. He had always been a serious man, rarely smiling but always upright and principled. I didn't believe he would ever say such things.

In the video recorded by a passerby that I acquired, Grandpa had only paused briefly to pick up an empty plastic bottle, momentarily blocking Nathan's way. Nathan reacted by kicking him hard in the stomach.

Grandpa already had old injuries. He couldn't withstand Nathan and the others' attacks. In just a few seconds, he was left severely injured and eventually became disabled. Even now, he hadn't woken up.

Looking wronged, Nathan turned to the jury. "I didn't want to say this, but your grandpa was clearly trying to extort me. He even grabbed my leg and wouldn't let me leave.

"If it weren't for the people with me pulling him off, I would've ended up trending online for sure. And if that had happened, my career would've been ruined!"

Whitney cast him a look of concern, then turned on me with eyes gone cold. "Harlan, you and your grandpa are absolutely shameless! Being crippled is what he deserves!"

With that, she produced even more so-called evidence to prove that Grandpa had been trying to blackmail them. She had already used her connections and money to smooth everything over.

The judge didn't care in the slightest whether the evidence was real or fake. Without much deliberation, he handed down the verdict.

I lost the case.

Overnight, Grandpa and I became public enemies, treated like pariahs. Online, we were turned into cautionary tales.

The trending topics were filled with talk about whether people should help strangers cross the road, or how to protect oneself from being scammed after doing a good deed.

I looked at their smug smiles, and the rage in my chest finally exploded.

When the trial ended, I walked out the door, drained and unsteady.

Outside, the place was already surrounded by media and fans. They swarmed toward us like bees, closing in almost instantly.

Seeing the crowd, Nathan was moved to tears. "Thank you all for your support! I promise I'll keep working hard!"

Whitney stepped right up beside him. "Don't worry, Nate. I won't let anyone with malicious intent hurt you."

She sounded so sincere that the fans immediately exploded with excitement. Cheers rang out for them. Then, someone suddenly shouted, "That's the bastard who framed Nathan!"

In the next second, the crowd surged toward me. Taking advantage of the chaos, they started punching and kicking me. Pain slammed into my body from every direction.

"You're despicable! Trying to pull a scam like this in this day and age?"

"You picked the wrong guy to mess with! You deserve to have a crippled grandpa! You should just die!"

"Yeah, man! Nobody wants you here! Just end yourself!"

The curses grew louder and more vicious around me until a rotten egg smashed against my head. Only then did Whitney's gaze finally fall on me.

She snorted. "If you behave yourself now and admit your mistake, I might still give you a chance to stay by my side."

I shook my head and wiped the foul-smelling egg liquid from my face. "Never. No matter what, I won't give up, let alone beg you for anything! I'll uncover the truth and make you apologize to Grandpa!"

She simply sneered. "You're really testing your luck. Go ahead and try."

Just then, Nathan stepped before me, eyes red, as if he had suffered a great injustice. "I'm sorry about what happened to your grandpa, but I'll never admit to something I didn't do. My fans are all in support of me, and I must set a good example for them."

He spoke with such moral conviction, as if Grandpa and I were truly the unforgivable ones.

Seeing his expression, I felt nothing but disgust. Out of nowhere, someone kicked me from behind. I lost my balance and staggered forward. To others, though, it looked like I had lunged at Nathan out of sheer rage.

Whitney reacted swiftly. She pulled Nathan away and kicked the back of my knee. I plunged to the ground, frowning as an agonizing pain twisted in my back.

I only had one kidney. The other one was inside Whitney. Back then, when her kidneys failed, I didn't hesitate a second to donate mine to save her life. I never imagined that betrayal and ingratitude were what I would get in return.

Now, I felt a dull, lingering pain at the old incision site. The pain spread inward, squeezing my heart. My body began shaking uncontrollably. I braced a hand against my lower back as cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

Whitney glanced at me, instinctively stepping forward, but Nathan grabbed her arm. "Ms. Backman…"

He put on a hurt look, lightly gripping her arm. "I really appreciate all your help. I was thinking I should treat you to a meal. Would that be okay?"

She shot me a quick look, then nodded. "Of course. They went too far this time. Allow me to apologize on their behalf."

Whitney agreed decisively and even took a dig at Grandpa at the same time. Nathan's fans cheered as if she had done a heroic act.

I clenched my fists in silent fury, a bitter ache gnawing at my chest. When did she become like this? Or had I been so blinded that I never saw through the real her?

As they turned to leave, the frenzy of fans besieged me.

Nathan, as if realizing something, spun back. "Everyone, please do not act impulsively. The law may turn a blind eye to what the majority does, but don't let meaningless people ruin your future."

His words only fueled their enthusiasm. They surged toward me, delivering kicks and punches.

Reporters pressed closer. "Mr. Sharp, what's your response to your grandfather committing such a shameless act?"

After dodging the reporters with great effort, I finally went home to wash up before heading to the hospital to see Grandpa.

Since the trial videos had already been blasted everywhere, people were pointing fingers at me the whole way. Nathan, the one who had committed the violence, had been painted as the victim.

Meanwhile, Grandpa had been twisted from a true victim into a shameless, money-grubbing old man. He lay in the hospital bed as several doctors were preparing to disconnect the ventilator and monitoring equipment.

I rushed forward swiftly and stopped them. "Hey, what are you guys doing? Who told you to take them off?"

I couldn't even imagine what would've happened if I had arrived a little later.

"Mr. Sharp, right? We have yet to do anything. You should know that payment is due—otherwise, stopping medication is a normal protocol," one doctor said, glancing at a few burly men standing behind him.

They were dressed like security guards and looked like trouble.

"I didn't say I wasn't paying! You should've communicated with me beforehand!" I snapped, my anger matching my tone.

The doctor retreated two steps. "We've already spoken with Ms. Backman. She said that until you admit your mistake, no fees will be paid."

Hearing that, I felt like someone had smashed a hammer into my skull.

Whitney had invested in this hospital, and the care here had been excellent. With her money backing it, I had never even considered transferring Grandpa elsewhere. Now, it had turned into a double-edged sword.

"Wow. He has no shame. He's even using his wife's money to nurse his grandpa. Talk about being a leech!"

"Right? He disgusts me."

"Well, considering they were trying to pull a scam, it's not that surprising that he's doing this."

"You're so right. I can't believe I have to be warded in the same room as them."

…

The noise around us only grew louder.

Grandpa looked at me with helplessness and sorrow in his eyes. While the trial was going on, he had fortunately woken up. From bits and pieces he heard from others, he had somewhat pieced together what had happened.

I opened my mouth several times, wanting to explain, but the crowd was too worked up and furious to hear what I had to say. They just wanted us gone.

"What's the outstanding balance? I'll pay," I told the doctor.

I still had savings. Every dime was money I had earned through my own hard work. To save Grandpa, I was willing to spend them all.

However, when I swiped my card, the payment failed.

"Are you messing with us?" the doctor snapped. "You don't even have any money! If you can't pay, just get out!"

His voice was loud, and with several security guards standing nearby, he grew even more aggressive.

Panic flooded my mind. I hurriedly called Whitney and questioned, "Did you transfer all my money away?"

The secondary card for that account was with her. I had given it to her so she would know I wasn't just living off her money. It wasn't much compared to what her company earned, but it was everything I had.

I never imagined that I would be the one handing her the knife to stab me with.

"Yeah, I did. So what? You think the treatment costs were covered by themselves? I'm only taking back what's mine. What's the problem?"

Her voice was lazy, almost dismissive, but if I listened closely, I could hear her uneven breathing.

I couldn't hold back and shouted, "Do you have to do this now? I'm trying to save Grandpa with that money! You're not even short on cash!"

"You're right. I'm not," she said coldly. "But if you don't apologize to Nathan, I won't return a single penny."

Her words carried a clear threat, but her breathing became ragged immediately afterward, accompanied by a sticky, wet sound.

"I gave you a chance, so cherish it," she added, then hung up. Even saying that last line seemed difficult for her, like she was letting out tiny moans with it.

My face darkened. I knew exactly what she was doing.

Before I could react, the doctor seized the moment and yanked out Grandpa's IV. "If you can't pay, get discharged right now."

"Hey! You're hurting him!"

I had wanted to say more, but a few men suddenly barged in. "Are you Harlan Sharp?"

I nodded, staring at them with confusion.

"Take him."

The man raised his chin arrogantly. His subordinates stepped forward and dragged Grandpa straight off the bed. I lunged at them with fury, but two people held me back.

"What are you guys doing? Let go of my grandpa!"

"Let him go? In your dreams. He deserves to be put on trial!"

With that, they forcefully took Grandpa away. I couldn't chase after them even if I wanted to, for they had pinned me down. It wasn't until Grandpa was out of sight that they finally released me.

I bolted out of the hospital, not giving up just yet, only to be dragged into an alley.

"That's him, right?"

Two guys who looked like street thugs stood there with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, leaning lazily as they sized me up and compared me to a photo on a phone. "In the flesh."

Before I could react, they swung a punch into my face. Pain exploded all across my body, and I began trembling. I couldn't do anything other than shield my head.

"Alright. That's enough. A little lesson will do. We can't afford to kill anyone."

"I don't think anyone will care, though. No one who messes with Mr. Larsson will end up well."

"Don't be too certain. He's Whitney's husband, after all."

"Come on. She's obviously into Mr. Larsson. Why would she care if this dude lives or not?"

…

Their conversation rang in my ears until everything blurred into a shrill buzzing. Wave after wave of weakness washed over me. I felt like I was about to die, so exhausted I couldn't even move a finger.

Grandpa had enlisted when he was barely a teenager. He had fought countless battles, even contributing to the Northern Aid Campaign.

Dad was an anti-narcotics officer. He worked undercover for 13 years and died a hero when the operation finally closed. Mom was a firefighter, killed in the line of duty during a mountain wildfire rescue.

I had always been proud of my family, so why had a family like ours been reduced to this?

"What happened to him? Should we take him to the hospital?" a female voice asked.

The man beside her stopped her. "Don't. Haven't you heard about that old man who tried to scam Nathan Larsson recently? Think twice before you do anything, or he might extort you, too."

Eventually, their footsteps faded farther and farther away. I felt like I was about to vomit blood.

No. I couldn't let Grandpa carry this kind of disgrace. I had to change everything and make the people who wronged him bow their heads and apologize.

The only thing that might be able to change all of this… was that.