Chapter 118: Red Apple
Ned sat in the center of his rich, sprawling room inside the Rodeny Estate. Golden patterns marked the deep red walls, and the heavy curtains muffled the sunlight.
The room was beautiful, expensive, everything he once thought he wanted. But none of it loosened the tight knot curled inside his chest.
His eyes stayed locked on the window, but his thoughts spiraled elsewhere.
Back then...
He had been lying broken on that cold healing bed, his body wrapped in pain from every angle. His chest still stung from shame more than his wounds.
Every breath reminded him of his failure, and his fists clenched weakly against the sheets, though he had no strength left to fight.
His thoughts kept whispering the same bitter truth:
I failed. Again.
Footsteps echoed into the room, calm, measured, deliberate.
Azrael Rodeny appeared at the foot of his bed, his dark crimson robes swaying slightly with each step.
He stopped just close enough for his cool, sharp gaze to meet Ned's tired, storming eyes.