Chapter 5

Cody heard a buzz in his ears. He couldn't believe that Titus actually played the video of his mother being humiliated in public.

He stepped forward in a panic, unable to find the switch for the projector, so he just grabbed the nearest thing and threw it at the screen, but it was no use.

The video continued to play, and everyone was looking at his mother onscreen with shock and contempt.

Tears fell down at some point, and Cody begged desperately, "Don't look at it, please don't look at it!"

"Enough!"

Jennifer had someone unplug the power supply, gave a long look at Titus, and turned around to yell at Cody.

"The security guard checked the surveillance. It was you who changed Titus' video, just to embarrass him while he was giving his speech! Why are you pretending to act all crazy now?"

"How could I—"

However, Cody suddenly understood everything the moment he looked into Jennifer's eyes. She knew it was Titus who did it, but she was just blaming it on him.

However, Cody refused to comply because it involved Selena this time. He absolutely refused to give in and yelled, "Then tell the security guard to play the surveillance video in public! Show everyone the proof that it was me who did it!"

Jennifer's eyes flashed with astonishment.

Cody had always been obedient recently. When Titus broke old Mrs. Harvey Senior's vase, Cody was punished on his behalf and got whipped a hundred times without offering any resistance. And when Titus triggered an allergic reaction in her business partner's child, Cody immediately sank to his knees to apologize, not even saying a word when his arm was forcibly broken.

So, why was his reaction so intense this time?

But before she had time to think about it, she lowered her voice and warned him gravely, "Cody, think about your brother. Your parents' death anniversary is coming soon, and you don't want their graves to be dug up, do you?"

Cody couldn't believe his ears. How could she use that as a threat against him?

All the sounds were stuck in his throat, and Cody felt a chill all over his body.

After a while, he looked at everyone and suppressed his sobs.

"Yes… I was the one who did it… I'm sorry…"

The guests began murmuring amongst themselves in disdain.

"How shameless."

"Like mother, like son. His entire family is nothing but trash."

"Poor Titus… How could he put up with a piece of shit like him at home?"

"What good is sorry?" Clint suddenly said, roaring at Cody. "You completely ruined the annual party for everyone! Shouldn't you be punished even more for this?"

Titus pulled Jennifer's sleeve and said, "Jenny, maybe we shouldn't—"

Clint turned angrily and said, "Titus! You're too soft and kind for your own good! That's the reason why you always get bullied and walked all over!

"And Ms. Harvey, Titus is your husband! Are you not going to punish Cody for pulling this embarrassing stunt on him?"

Jennifer thought it over for a moment. She couldn't bear to lay a hand on Cody, so she got someone to bring over a huge box of whisky. "Then, I'll just make him drink everything in this box as his punishment."

Before Clint could speak, Cody trembled and said, "I can't drink—"

He had an advanced stage of stomach cancer, and drinking alcohol would only accelerate his death.

However, Jennifer only took it as Cody throwing another temper tantrum again and shot back, "People who worked at Nirvana Host Club can all handle their alcohol. This is already the lightest punishment for you."

She then turned and ordered the bodyguard, "Force it all down his throat."

The bodyguard stepped forward and forced Cody to open his mouth, pouring all the contents of the whisky straight down his throat.

Cody felt as though all his internal organs were twisting together in pain as the burning liquid was forced straight down his stomach. He wouldn't stop retching, but Jennifer remained unmoved.

The bodyguard kept pouring, much of the whisky spilling down Cody's clothes as he choked and struggled. By the time he was released, he collapsed to the floor, his clothes soaked and his face frighteningly pale.

Jennifer's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible trace of distress, and she said to the bodyguard, "Take him to the lounge. He's nothing but an embarrassment."

As soon as Cody was dragged out to the lounge, he trembled hard as he took out the painkillers and swallowed them down, mixed with his own blood.

When the severe pain finally subsided, he took out his phone and looked at the family photo on the screensaver in a trance.

"I'm completely useless, aren't I, Mom, Dad? I'm sorry I can't fight back or resist them because I still need money for Cayo's treatment…"

As tears fell on the screen, a phone call came in. It was the person in charge of the cemetery, and his tone was very anxious.

"Mr. Lawson, a group of people are here to dig up your parents' graves! Come over as soon as you can!"