11. The Heart of My Torment

Liam’s POV

"Liam, come to my office, I need a word with you," echoed my father's gruff voice, a stark intrusion into my thoughts.

Without a word, I made my way to his study, the air growing denser with each step towards the heavy oak door. Pushing it open, the familiar sight of his expansive, cluttered desk greeted me, a fortress of paperwork and old leather. There, casting a long shadow in the dim light, stood Andrew, my half-brother, ever the silent sentinel by our father's side.

I positioned myself before the desk, the silence hanging heavy as I awaited the inevitable onslaught. My father's eyes, sharp and scrutinizing, bore into me for a torturous few seconds before his voice, dripping with disdain, shattered the quiet. “Did you apologize to her for your cruel father’s actions? Promised to protect her and heal her wounds? Begged for forgiveness?”

I met his gaze with a defiant scowl, ice forming in my veins. “Of course not,” I retorted, the words laced with bitterness.

She would ne