Chapter 382: The Path to Redemption - Seeking Forgiveness
Marlon’s back went rigid. A chill raced down his spine at the sound of her voice—sharp, brittle, and devoid of the warmth a woman’s tone might normally carry. There was no kindness, no softness—only ice and long-nurtured resentment.
For a breathless moment, he stood frozen, as if the air itself had turned to stone. His courage faltered. He couldn’t bring himself to turn around, afraid of what would greet him in her eyes—memories, judgment, perhaps even hatred.
"I..." he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. What words could possibly undo the past? What balm could soothe the wounds left by betrayal? Odin and his children had suffered, and no apology could erase that truth.
"I came to ask for forgiveness," he finally managed, forcing the words past the guilt lodged in his throat. He gathered what strength remained and turned to face the niece he had betrayed four years ago.
She stood tall—173 centimeters of composed fury. Copper-brown hair, slightly wavy, spilled past her shoulders, but there was nothing gentle about her presence. Her eyes, a bright and searing brown, locked onto his with such intensity he nearly stumbled backward. Her gaze burned through him, slicing through pretense, stripping him bare. He could not only see the deep resentment in those eyes but he could feel it deep in his bones.
"Forgiveness?" Her voice could have frozen fire. "Do you think you deserve one?"
Marlon faltered. "I don’t... I know I don’t," he said, the words escaping like the last breath of a dying man. "But... may I speak to your father? I won’t stay long."
From the corridor, footsteps echoed—firm, purposeful. General Odin stepped into the room, his wife beside him, their sons Bener, Gideon, and Percival following close behind.
Odin’s brow was furrowed, his mouth a thin line as he joined Lara, Asael, and Galahad. The tension in the room thickened.
Marlon’s legs trembled. He felt like a condemned man before a tribunal. His resolve wavered, and for a fleeting moment, he wanted to flee, far from the family that he almost ruined. Far from the guilt.