Chapter 38

Then, in a turn no one could have predicted, Biden's assertive facade shattered. He crumbled to the church's cold floor, the weight of his past mistakes evident in his teary eyes. "I wronged you, Asa," he sobbed, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. "When I learned of our child, fear and pride dictated my actions. I'm behind the shadows that plagued you, the threats, the near-fatal encounters. I'm consumed by guilt and regret."

The collective gasp of the congregation was palpable. As Asa processed this revelation, trying to reconcile with the Biden she once knew, Andrei, his face red with rage, took a step forward. Just as Asa opened her mouth, hoping to bring some semblance of peace, Andrei's voice, laden with fury and pain, filled the sacred space, addressing Biden's shocking confession.

Amid the grandeur of the cathedral, with its soaring arches and echoing silences, the tension was palpable. Andrei, though visibly incensed, tried to maintain his composure, the muscles in his