Building The Strongest Family

The dining hall was a frozen tableau, caught in the aftermath of Arthur's explosive outburst.

A shattered coffee cup lay in jagged shards on the floor, its dark stain spreading like spilled blood across the gleaming marble.

The air vibrated with tension, heavy with the weight of Arthur's words: "Then you're no brother of mine."

Billy stood there, breath coming in sharp gasps, fists clenched at his sides.

Family members stared, some wide-eyed in shock, others pale with horror, and a few resigned to the unfolding drama.

Then Arthur moved.

With deliberate slowness, he straightened his cuffs, his face transforming into a mask of chilling calm.

The veins that had bulged on his forehead moments before vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness.

When he spoke again, his voice was quiet yet deadly: "Aunt Margaret."

Margaret Osborn, President of Osborn Holdings and epitome of matriarchal strength, stiffened in her seat.

Sitting tall with her hair pulled into a tight chignon and sharp eyes scanning the room for any sign of dissent, she responded cautiously: "Yes, Arthur?"

"Effective immediately," Arthur said coldly as ice forming around each word pierced through the silence.

"Remove Billy Osborn's name from all family registries, trusts, and holdings. He is no longer an Osborn in any legal capacity."

"What!?" A collective gasp echoed through the dining room.

Margaret's lips thinned as she looked at him in disbelief. "Arthur, isn't this hasty? Don't do this."

The rest of the family nodded along nervously; they were clearly uncomfortable but unsure how to intervene.

Arthur closed his eyes momentarily before responding calmly: "I didn't want to do this either. But it seems he values outside opinions more than those from his own family. If that's how it is... then he will no longer be an Osborn."

With that chilling proclamation hanging in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst, he opened his eyes and commanded coldly: "Do it."

Margaret opened her mouth to protest but ultimately let out a resigned sigh: "It will be done."

Billy's face drained of color as panic set in. "You can't…"

Arthur didn't even glance at him as he addressed Alfred, the family butler who had served them for decades, with unwavering authority: "Alfred."

"Yes, Master Arthur?" Alfred stepped forward from the shadows near the door; his expression remained inscrutable.

"Pack Billy's belongings," Arthur ordered flatly. "Everything. And have him escorted off the estate by noon."

Alfred bowed slightly without hesitation. "As you wish."

Billy let out a disbelieving laugh that echoed painfully against the walls. "You're kicking me out?"

Finally turning to face him fully for the first time since their confrontation, Arthur's eyes were like shards of ice, cold and unyielding.

Arthur finally turned to face him, his eyes glinting like shards of ice. "You made your choice."

The room was a tableau of shock. Liz pressed both hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears.

Ashley's fingers stilled around her teacup, knuckles turning white as she gripped it tightly.

Uncle Julian looked like he wanted to speak, but a single glance from Arthur silenced him instantly.

Billy took a step forward, his voice trembling. "You're really doing this? After everything?"

Arthur didn't blink. "You walked away first."

"I just said I didn't want to work in finance!" Billy's voice cracked under the weight of desperation. "That's all! I didn't mean,..."

"It was never just about finance," Arthur interrupted, his tone sharp as a knife. "It was about loyalty, about standing by this family when it truly matters. And you failed."

Billy flinched at the accusation.

Turning back to Margaret, Arthur commanded, "Freeze all his accounts and cancel his cards. If he wants to live without the family, he can do so without the family's money."

Margaret nodded briskly, her fingers already dancing over her tablet screen. "Consider it done."

Panic surged in Billy's chest as he gasped for breath. "You're cutting me off completely?"

Arthur's smile was devoid of warmth, a mirthless grin that sent chills down spines. "Welcome to the real world, Billy Osborn."

The use of his full name felt like a final nail in the coffin.

Billy's hands trembled as he scanned the table for an ally, but no one met his gaze. Not even Liz; she stared at her lap, tears dripping onto her untouched pancakes.

"Fine," Billy spat out bitterly, his voice thick with betrayal. "If this is how it is... then fine." He turned sharply on his heel and stormed out, slamming the dining hall doors behind him with a sound that echoed like a gunshot.

Silence enveloped the room.

Then Aunt Emily broke it softly, glancing at Billy's retreating figure before whispering, "Arthur… was that necessary?"

Arthur paused before responding; he picked up his napkin and wiped a speck of coffee from his fingers with deliberate care before setting it back down again.

"Yes," he replied quietly but firmly, his voice carrying an air of finality.

"If we tolerate defiance now," he continued steadily, "we invite chaos later."

No one dared argue; they understood the weight of those words.

Alfred bowed slightly and slipped out to carry out Arthur's orders.

And just like that with a few cold words, Billy Osborn ceased to exist in their world.

---

The morning breakfast that once radiated joy and warmth now lay cold and untouched, a stark reminder of the tension hanging in the air.

Around the table, everyone sat in silence, heads bowed, lost in their thoughts.

The atmosphere felt surreal; it was as if they were trapped in a dream where nothing made sense anymore.

None of them had anticipated Arthur's shocking decision to kick Billy out of the family, especially after cutting off his inheritance and freezing his accounts.

Billy now faced an uncertain future. Unless he could land a job or convince his so-called girlfriend Sophia to support him, he risked becoming homeless and broke.

And to make matters worse, he had just graduated from university! In a sprawling international metropolis like Neo-Luminara, finding a job felt as daunting as climbing a mountain.

As these thoughts swirled around the table, concern for Billy began to creep into their minds.

But each time they glanced at Arthur's cold, emotionless face, they quickly shook off their worries and returned to their plates, eating in silence.

This was the first time since Arthur took over as head of the family that they had witnessed him lose his temper, and none wanted to be on his bad side.

Even Julian remained quiet, mechanically pushing food around on his plate.