Rena’s pov

The house was unusually quiet. Dad was in the sitting room and I sat on the chair opposite him. The light from the chandeliers made the room feel so warm and cozy, but the cold tension and silence between my father and me bothered me. We've had misunderstandings about Raymond and he forbade me from going to see him in the hospital.

He sat on the edge of the armchair in the living room, close to his ceiling-to-floor bookshelf, his posture was still a bit weak from his long recovery, but his expression was hard, and unshakable.

I stood and walked closer to the bookshelf, and my arms...