72 Abel’s Arrival

Ronan

Abel arrived as he said he would, and we spent most of the night talking about Marc. It was his first time visiting my house, but he wasn’t in any state to notice or admire the surroundings.

Grief hung heavy between us, making everything else seem trivial. I couldn’t bring myself to entertain him properly—our shared sorrow overshadowed any attempts at hospitality.

This time, I didn’t let Camila serve us. I made sure Kenneth and my butler, Oliver, took care of everything instead.

Abel was deeply shaken, more than I had expected.

I could see the fear in his eyes, the way his hands trembled slightly as he spoke. He kept pleading with me to stay safe, his voice laced with desperation.

He didn’t want to lose another friend like we had lost Marc. I hadn’t realised just how hard Marc’s death had hit him.

It had affected me too, of course, but I’d kept most of it inside, processing it quietly. Unlike Abel, I had Camila and Katya to comfort me, to help bear the weight of the pain.

"Will