Repentant Ronan

DESTINY

Ronan's face bore the unmistakable signs of truth, etched with a mixture of pain and guilt. James, sitting on the edge of the couch, seemed ready to snap like a tightly wound wire. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension.

With a strained voice, James cut through the silence, his body tense and ready to pounce. "You'd better be lying. My grandfather?!" His words hung in the air, heavy with disbelief.

Ronan winced, his face turning a deep shade of crimson. "They blackmailed me, Jimmy. There was some damning footage of me with two girls. They threatened to expose it to the media." The color drained from Ronan's face as he continued, "I swear, I didn't know they were underage."

"Jeezus..." James hissed, his voice a mix of anger and shock. He stood abruptly, facing the window with his back to the others in the room. The weight of the situation was unbearable, and I found myself unable to meet Ronan's gaze.

"Goddammit, Ronan! Why didn't you come to me? I could have helped