Caine’s voice came through the recording weak and uneven, as though every word was pulling something out of him.
“Mattew… I’m sorry,” he said, his throat tightening around the words. “I didn’t want things to go this way. I had to lie to you. I didn’t have a choice. My father was forcing me… threatening everything I had left. I thought I could control it, but I couldn’t.”
Mattew’s expression hardened as he listened. His hand slowly curled into a tight fist against the table, his patience wearing thin with every passing second.
Caine paused for a moment, struggling to breathe properly before continuing.
“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness,” he said quietly, his voice breaking slightly, “but if there’s even a part of you that can forgive me, then please… do it.”
He took a shaky breath, l
