Chair Smith, Barrett's father, has always had a soft spot for Grace.

When he saw Grace pleading, he hesitated before speaking carefully, "Barrett, it's not that I'm favoring your stepmother. Grace doesn't seem like the type to act recklessly. Could there be a misunderstanding?”

“Calling so many people over, including Chair Rivers and Chair Wells, when they're already in a bad mood, insisting on having them all here... Are you sure you haven't made a mistake and wasted everyone's time?"

Although Mr. Smith has never been fond of Grace, she is still technically part of the Smith family as Barrett's stepmother. He doesn't want the Rivers family, the Wells family,...