109 How It Ended

Camila

My mother’s voice took on a darker tone as she continued, her words flowing like a dam that had finally burst. I sat quietly, absorbing everything she said, knowing this was something she had been holding in for a long time.

"We took over countries and seized their resources, and no one ever told us we were wrong," she said bitterly. "We were untouchable. In most places, you’re expected to follow their rules, respect their customs, but that wasn’t the Belvarian way. When we arrived, we didn’t adapt; we imposed. We forced change on them to suit us."

She paused, her expression hardening as she recalled the memories. "Some of us saw the flaws in this system. Your father did—he complained often, but no one listened. They court-martialed him a few times for his ‘extreme’ views, as they called them. But in truth, he was just one of the few who realized how selfish and corrupt the system was."

Hearing her speak about my father in this way gave me a new perspective. I had always known