Luiz didn't know what was happening around him anymore. It seemed that even the strong had a breaking point. No—everyone had a breaking point.
But then, amidst the storm of his emotions, a sigh reached his ears. A single sigh that made his chest tighten, that made him feel everything at once—hurt, warmth, bitterness, fear, helplessness, longing, pain... and something more.
His head lifted, just enough to glimpse the man standing before him. Then, shame weighing heavy on his shoulders, he lowered it again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hoarse, barely more than breath.
Hadn't Azarel been a good father to him? No, not just good—the best. He had been patient, kind, unshakable. A pillar. A guide. A father in every way that mattered.
So why?
Why had he treated his own son differently?
Why had he refused to listen—to his father, to his uncle... to his wife?
Why...
A deep sigh pulled him from the spiral of his thoughts.
