ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY

GRAYSON'S POV

Grayson and I made our way up the stairs, the echo of Alice's shouting growing louder behind us. Her voice cut through the air like a knife, "Grayson, you dumb brat! You think you’ve got everything in life just because of your family’s money!"

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I kept my eyes forward, focusing on the steps ahead. Sylvia, walking beside me, seemed equally determined to ignore her. Alice’s voice grew more frantic. "And you, Sylvia! You’re nothing but a whore, and those kids of yours? Bastards!"

I could see Sylvia's jaw tightening, but she didn't flinch. Her refusal to engage only seemed to fuel Alice’s anger. The more we ignored her, the louder and more vicious her taunts became. It was clear that no matter how much we tried to walk away, Alice’s bitterness wasn’t going to be easily quelled.

I had just walked into the living room when Zenith and Zendaya, drawn by the noise, bolted out of their room. Their faces lit up with joy at the sight of m