Counterback of the Despised Luna by Diana West

Chapter 368 Forgiveness

The sterile silence of the VII‘ ward pressed in around u

Caden and I eased Mr. Richard into the bed, each movement deliberate, ensuring he was comfortable.

“Grandpa, jusi rest, Caden’s voice broke through the stillness. His face, usually so tight with control. softened at the edges as he spoke. The lines of strain around his eyes relaxed, just for a moment.

Richard reached out, his hand firm on Caden’s, the strength in his grip a quiet defiance to his fragile state. “Caden, I’m fine,” he said, his voice low but steady.

I stood silently beside them, watching as Richard settle back into the pillows. I tucked the blankets: carefully around him, my hands moving with practice precision. Then I looked him squarely in the eye “Mr. Richard, I know this has shaken you. But you need to stay calm. Your body is still recovering. No anger, no stress, no worries. It could trigger another incident.

That ordeal was too close for comfort.

I had kept a watchful eye on the players in this twisted game–Heidi, Eleanor, Queenie. It was clear they had set their sights on the Alpha. Their intentions? Dangerous. Treacherous.

Caden and I had been ahead of them, though. I’d followed the plan to the letter. I’d stabilized Richard the operating room just in time. The poison Queenie had slipped into his IV was swapped out by Caden. who had been like a shadow in the background. He had been waiting.

The ‘incident‘ in the operating room had been staged. The fallout we’d shown to the staff? It was all part of the act.

No one, except Caden, Mr. Richard, and I, knew the truth.

Though Richard could barely move, his mind was sharp.

He heard everything.

It had been a flawless plan. A perfect ruse–if only Heid had shown up.

But in hindsight, she must’ve backed out when she realized Richard got in trouble.

“Don’t worry, Rosie,” Richard said, his voice steady and calm despite the weight of everything. “I’m not stranger to close calls. I’ve survived worse, and now…. now I see everything clearly. There’s nothing left to

fear.”

there was a strength in them. He still had years ahead of him, years

it on to Caden.

gaze shifted to Caden, who stood still by the bed, his expression unreadable. The weight of the world was on his

between them. The burden of legacy. The sense

reached out and quietly squeezed Caden’s hand, offering a

1/3

+8 Pearls

thing, but Eleanor–his mother–was another. Betrayal from her, it cut deeper than

them could know.

“Rosie, I owe you. Without you. Caden and I would still be blind

touch of ruefulness in my expression. “Mr. Richard, you’ve always been so kind to me. I did what anyone would have done. As for… everything else, I shouldn’t have acted so rashly. I should’ve handled things better–shouldn’t have let my temper get the best of

glanced at Caden out of the corner of my eye, the weight of my words lingering between us.

Richard’s name was dragged through the mud. And I had pushed him to the brink. The last thing I needed was for him to collapse again, but I could feel the tension coiling under his

steady and firm. “Caden, you and Rosie should

weariness in his eyes betraying his composure. He turned, his broad shoulders rigid, like a

I said, matching

and unwavering, a silent tower in the

I knew him. Beneath that cold exterior, the hurt was there. I could feel

to speak, but then Caden stopped.

dark and stormy, locked onto mine with a weight I hadn’t expected. “Are you still angry with me?” His voice was low, a thread of tension curling through the

meant. The lies, the betrayal. It was all there, written in his

the anger had faded long ago. “What you did… it made me feel

but inside, I wasn’t angry

just needed to remind him

No more games.

us. I’ve just been betrayed by everyone I trusted. And you won’t forgive me? You won’t even comfort me?” His words hung