LUCIEN’S POV
The house was quiet now, a stark contrast to the storm that had raged moments ago. I leaned back in the chair by the window, my fingers gripping the armrests as I tried to steady my breathing. The fight with my father still echoed in my ears, his voice sharp and unyielding, mine breaking under the weight of years of anger and resentment.
I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms as the trembling in my lips refused to stop. The rage was there, bubbling just beneath the surface, but it was the despair that weighed me down.
“Lucien.”
Nana’s voice was soft, her presence grounding. She moved toward me, her frail frame exuding a strength I couldn’t quite understand. Her arms wrapped around me as she pressed her check to the top of my head.
“You need to calm down, my chil
