Chapter 240: Keanu’s gaze turned as cold as ice. “What do you mean, ‘only’?” he said with unwavering certainty. “I’ve already said I can live without a grandson, but I have only one granddaughter, Allison.”

Lindy’s agitation flared. Why would this old fool side with an outsider? She stepped forward, but Rex shoved her aside. “I haven’t dealt with you yet!” The fragile calm shattered.

Colton watched his parents’ storm, his mind a whirlwind. He could only watch in disbelief. His grandfather, his champion, stood before him, ruthless and cold. Keanu’s words echoed, stripping him of worth. Perhaps Keanu was done with him, ready to sever his ties as family heir. Worse, Allison and Kellan—outsiders—silently witnessed his humiliation.

Shame gnawed at him, a dagger twisting in his chest. The pain was suffocating. When his gaze met Kellan’s, the man’s casual smirk was unbearable. Kellan and Allison seemed to revel in his downfall.

A deep rage clouded Colton’s vision. “It’s you… Allison! You planned this, didn’t you? You set me up!”

Allison’s face twisted in disbelief. “What on earth are you talking about?” Her eyes narrowed as she saw Colton, fists clenched and trembling, on the verge of losing control. Colton, always proud, was pushed to the brink by revelations about his mother’s infidelity and his grandfather’s disavowal. But Allison had no part in it. Once, she might have felt pity; now, she felt only disdain.

Colton laughed humorlessly. “Allison, you’ve known Deandre for years. Why didn’t you tell me three years ago? You could have warned me! But you kept quiet, waiting for this day!” Desperation distorted his reason. He clung to the belief that this was an elaborate deception. “And you made Deandre give that video to Melany to humiliate me!”

Allison didn’t respond. What was the point? Reasoning with him would be futile.

Colton, trapped in his own anguish, continued. “You… you probably made Deandre seduce my mom, too, didn’t you? And tricked Melany…” His voice softened, clinging to this fantasy.

Hearing Melany’s name, Lindy froze, her face darkening. “Melany! You filthy little liar, always stirring up trouble!” She slapped Melany. The sound cracked through the air. Melany stumbled back, a red welt forming on her cheek. Lindy’s fury bubbled over. “I knew you were up to something! Trying to provoke Colton at Keanu’s birthday banquet—you did it all on purpose!”