Chapter 156

“Why didn’t you ever tell me that you didn’t want to be my successor?” I wondered.

“Really, Dad? Now?”

“Reply. Did you ever even try?”

I sighed, rolling my eyes under closed eyelids. His scent didn’t give me any clues, but I swore that this had to be the last time we had a similar conversation. We would never understand each other on that topic, so—

“Would you have listened to me, perhaps? Everything is done according to your will,” I told him.

“If I had known you were so unhappy—”

“If you had been home more—”

We both looked at each other, knowing perfectly well that at this point in our lives, it no longer made sense to continue wondering “what would have happened if.” I was no longer an angry, fearful boy, and he was no longer the fearless leader who traveled the world to make sure everything was in order. We had both delegated things, feelings, and responsibilities equally, and we were seeing the fruits of those decisions.

“I have s