Chapter 121: Bonds of Blood

Thelma Zane's POV In the study. A heavy silence blanketed the room, like a dense fog that refused to lift. Everyone wore expressions tinged with sorrow, disappointment, or both. My father, King Victor, and Duke Frank exchanged somber glances as their gazes periodically drifted toward Duke Lennon. The southern Duke sat apart, his face clouded with anguish. His demeanor reflected a man caught in a storm of regret, too consumed by his own turmoil to notice the disapproval radiating from those around him. My mother gently pulled me to sit beside her on the plush sofa, her hand resting on mine in a reassuring yet wordless gesture. Her face carried an air of quiet sadness as though she wanted to say something but lacked the words to soften the gravity of the moment. Breaking the silence, my father’s voice resonated with a blend of frustration and disbelief. “Lennon, I thought we were more than allies in war. I thought we were brothers, trusted comrades who shared everything, espec