Chapter 700. The Weight of His Guilt

“All right,” Leif VI said, his voice trembling as he carefully tore open the envelope. His hands were unsteady, the thin paper rustling between his fingers.

He drew out the folded report and began to read. Line by line, his eyes traced every word until they reached the final conclusion: *Confirmed biological father–daughter relationship.For a moment, the world seemed to stop. His eyes blurred, tears welling and spilling before he could stop them. His lips quivered, but no sound came out.

“Father…” Magnus called softly.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” he asked, though he already knew the answer from the look on his father’s face.

Leif VI raised his tear-filled eyes and nodded. “Yes.” His voice cracked as he tried to speak. The tears came freely now, unstoppable.

He hadn’t even known that Kelly had carried his child—had borne his daughter into the world and raised her alone. More than twenty years had passed, and he had never once realized that his own flesh and b