Chapter 89

Xavier froze when I turned him to face Lorraine. The blood, the stark contrast of her pale skin against the dirt and grass—everything was finally sinking in. He waved his hand in front of his nose as if the smell of blood was the most offensive part. "She... She's bleeding so much," he stammered, his voice wobbling. Fear flickered across his face, but instead of owning up to his mistake, he tried to bolt. I caught him by the collar, lifting him just enough to stop him in his tracks. "You're not going anywhere," I said, my voice sharp. "You wanted to prove you're not scared, right? Then stay here and look at what you've done." I pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him to stay put. He clearly knew what he had done was wrong, yet he still refused to admit it. This behavior was worse than lying. "I don't know how your mother raised you, but how dare you harm someone?" A flicker of disdain flashed through my eyes. As his father, I should be understanding and willing to listen to