ARCHIMEDES’ POV
The dining room felt like a cold, hollow shell despite the flickering warmth of the chandelier above. Nana sat across from me, her trembling fingers clasping a handkerchief damp with tears. The quiet sobs that escaped her seemed to echo off the walls, amplifying the heaviness in the room.
I couldn’t meet her gaze. Not when I was the reason behind her anguish. Not when I was the reason behind Lucien’s torment.
The weight of my failure was suffocating, coiled tightly around my chest like a serpent. My fingers traced the edge of the wooden table absently as I stared at the untouched cup of coffee before Nana. It had long since gone cold, just like everything else I’d tried to nurture in my life.
Nana sniffled loudly, breaking the suffocating silence. “He doesn’t deserve th
