Chapter 117

Ledger's POV

Jude had left me in the lounge after being pulled away by a call.

The tension here was palpable. Even though Liam and I were sitting side by side, we could barely exchange more than a few words. Not with Father sitting across from us. It wasn’t that Liam and I were suddenly at odds; it was the way our father’s presence could still lock our words in our throats, even now as adults.

Thinking back, our relationship with him had never been warm. He was either busy or watching us like a hawk, measuring how well we performed academically or how sharp we were in training to someday take over the business.

The first time I remember receiving anything close to his attention was years ago, after a fight. I’d been dragged into the principal’s office for bloodying a neighbor’s son who mocked Liam… called him a bastard because we weren’t identical twins. I’d expected Father’s fury when he was called in, but he hadn’t been angry. He’d listened, nodded, accepted the suspension, and wal