Chapter 129

Elias’s POV

I remember the day I watched her fade. I saw my mother transform from a strong, spirited woman—full of life and laughter—into a frail, sorrowful housewife whose once-bright eyes now carried only resignation. She adored my father so completely.

Adrian’s voice trembled when he spoke next. “Their marriage was arranged,” he said, running a hand through his hair as if trying to smooth out the painful memory. “It solved my father’s family’s financial crisis, and in return my grandfather got exactly what he wanted. Everybody won—except my mother. It was a marriage that should never have happened.”

He hesitated, then let out a dry, hollow laugh. I could hear the sorrow beneath it. “You know what’s the saddest part?” he muttered, eyes distant. “My mother fell in love with my father at first sight. She stepped into that marriage willingly, desp