Chapter 208: Ricky 3
"I have never denied that I have wronged you," he said, his voice calm, but with an edge of cold steel. "Yes, I made mistakes. But none of that justifies what you did. You tried to kill Adam. What did he do to deserve that?" He took a step closer, his shadow falling over her.
"This... this is my fault. I raised you wrong. The hatred you harbor for Adam... it just proves how weak you really are. And even though I was in the wrong, I stand by this: you are still weak."
Anastasia’s eyes widened in disbelief. A painful realization struck her. Deep down, she had always known Adam was not at fault. But accepting it had been too hard. Her hatred, her resentment—it had been the fuel that drove her, the fire that forged her strength. Or so she had thought.
Ricky’s tone turned deadly serious, the voice of the village chief passing judgment. "You will still face punishment. I am the leader of this village, and it is my duty to ensure justice."
With that, he stepped back, sinking into a low, powerful fighting stance. Anastasia saw it and knew instantly what was coming. Her father was going to attack her. She braced herself, her body tensing, her mind preparing for the inevitable blow.
Ricky pulled his right hand back, his fist a coiled serpent of muscle and bone. He lunged forward, his punch a blur of motion, aimed directly at his daughter’s head.
But just before the punch could land, a hand shot out and grabbed his arm, stopping it dead in mid-air.
Ricky froze, his eyes wide with surprise. He turned and saw the one who had stopped him: his son, Adam.
Even Anastasia was stunned into silence. She stared at her brother, at his hand wrapped firmly around their father’s powerful arm, her mind unable to process what was happening.
Ricky’s surprise quickly turned to rage. He glared at Adam, his voice a low, furious growl. "Do you even realize what you are doing?"