Chapter 22: No backing out
Riven stood in front of his father's office. He drew a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before he would enter.
"Hey kid, that blood thing you did, I didn't tell your father. I figured it was something unique, so I decided to leave the choice of its secrecy to you," Liam said as he stood behind Riven.
Riven turned and flashed a smile. "Thank you for that, that's one of my worries out of your way," he said and pushed through the door, walking into the office.
Seated inside was his father, his grandfather, and the father of the Duke. Their gaze locked on him immediately he walked in.
He closed the door behind him and walked into the room, standing a few feet away from them. He waited, probably to be betrayed by his father.
But contrary to what he believed would happen, his father got up from his chair. He looked Riven right in the eye, his gaze softened as much as it possibly could, and then he spoke.
"I'm sorry Riven, for the way I acted. I was wrong to think that you were up to no good. I didn't understand what you had to go through today," his father apologized.
Riven's eyes widened in shock. He was confused—why was his father apologizing to him with so much sincerity?
"It takes some men decades of their life before they take a life, and you have already done that before becoming a man. That's my grandson-in-law," the Duke's father said.