#Chapter 116: A Long Overdue Talk

Darren The clearing was quiet, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the wind and the distant call of birdsong. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth, and the sunlight filtered through the trees in golden shafts, illuminating the weathered stone marker that bore my sister’s name. Emilia. I stood there, my hands shoved deep into my pockets, my chest tightening as a mix of emotions overtook me. Guilt. Grief. Anger. My father was standing a few paces away. He was leaning on his cane, his knuckles trembling slightly. His hair, once as dark as mine, was streaked with silver, and his face was lined with deep wrinkles. But his eyes—those deep blue eyes—were the same as always. If only I could look directly at them. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. I wasn’t sure where to begin, or if I even wanted to. But he broke the silence first. “I haven’t come here in far too long,” he said, glancing at my sister’s grave. “Far too