Chapter 472

The once-spacious living room now held only three people. Valeria advanced toward Brayden one measured step at a time.

A loud slap rang out, and vivid red fingerprints instantly bloomed across his cheek. Her eyes burned with fury as she stared at him. “What do you think you’re doing? This is fratricide!” she shouted. “You’re really willing to condemn your own brother over nothing more than a test result? I’m deeply disappointed in you as your mother.”

“Mom,” Brayden said quietly as he looked at her. “But what if everything I said is true?”

Valeria shook her head, refusing to accept it. “Impossible. How could it be? Even if… even if he truly did it, he’s still your brother. Why can’t you protect him? You’re blood-related; his future is tied to yours. Go to the police station right now and tell them it was all a misunderstanding. No matter what it takes, you must bring Theo back.”

Brayden scowled faintly, his refusal clear in his expression. “Grandpa has always treated us well. He gave his entire life to the family, and he doesn’t deserve an ending like this. I won’t shield Theo. If he truly did nothing wrong, the police will clear him.”

“You’re really heartless!” Valeria cried, stumbling back two steps, her face twisted with shock and despair. “Power has blinded you so badly that you won’t even spare your own brother. How did I end up raising such a cold, unfeeling son?”

Brayden pursed his lips, remaining silent, sorrow flickering unmistakably in his eyes.

Gracie stepped forward, her forehead creasing. “Valeria, Theo is the one who crossed the line. Why are you turning this on Brayden?”

“This is your fault! If your company hadn’t tested that health supplement, Theo would never have landed in a police station,” Valeria shouted irrationally. As she spoke, she lifted her hand, ready to strike Gracie.

Gracie caught her wrist firmly. “You’ve only just learned the truth, so I understand that you’re overwhelmed,” she said. “But if you keep acting like this, I won’t tolerate it.”

Valeria’s eyes brimmed with tears. “All of you are unbearable. If none of you will save him, then I will.” With that, she turned and rushed out of the house.

Gracie turned back to Brayden, who was still staring in the direction Valeria had disappeared.

“Dad favored Aiden. Now Mom is siding with Theo,” he said quietly. “So in this family, am I the only one left who…”

“No,” Gracie said, interrupting him. “Valeria loves both you and Theo. You’re her sons, both of you, and she can’t bear the thought of either one being hurt. In the previous life, after something happened to you, she finally saw Theo for who he really was and sank into deep depression. In the end, she… she died from a fall. During that period, she tried more than once to avenge you, but she didn’t have the power to do anything.”

She continued softly, “Right now, she hasn’t seen his true nature yet, so she’s still clinging to hope. Once the truth is fully exposed, she won’t have any choice but to face it.”

Stepping closer, she naturally reached for his hand. “No matter what, we have to uncover the truth and give Kevin the justice he deserves. This afternoon, I need to go back to the company and speed up the development of the specialized medicine. Even if it only eases his symptoms a little, it’s better than doing nothing.”

“Thank you,” Brayden said quietly, a faint spark returning to his eyes. “I’ll head to the police station later. This time, I won’t give Theo another opportunity to slip away.”

Letting Theo roam free would only invite more disaster. Prison was the safest place for him.

At the police station.

“This is the test report proving that the health supplement you supplied contains harmful substances. Do you admit that you deliberately poisoned your grandpa?” the officer asked.

Theo leaned back in his chair, his expression carefully composed, almost guileless. “The health supplement was developed by my company, and that much is true. But it’s still in the experimental stage. I had no prior knowledge of any adverse reactions.”

“So you’re admitting responsibility?”

“But my grandpa requested it himself. He said he was getting older and wanted to contribute to scientific research by participating as a trial subject,” Theo said.

“What did you just say?”

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