"I have never denied that I have wronged you," he said, his voice calm, but with an edge of cold steel. "Yes, I made mistakes. But none of that justifies what you did. You tried to kill Adam. What did he do to deserve that?" He took a step closer, his shadow falling over her.
"This… this is my fault. I raised you wrong. The hatred you harbor for Adam… it just proves how weak you really are. And even though I was in the wrong, I stand by this: you are still weak."
Anastasia's eyes widened in disbelief. A painful realization struck her. Deep down, she had always known Adam was not at fault. But accepting it had been too hard. Her hatred, her resentment—it had been the fuel that drove her, the fire that forged her strength. Or so she had thought.
Ricky's tone turned deadly serious, the voice of the village chief passing judgment. "You will still face punishment. I am the leader of this village, and it is my duty to ensure justice."
