Chapter 185

• Richard found himself standing by the window, his gaze lost somewhere beyond the drifting clouds. Lily’s words echoed in his mind, clear and unyielding. She had been right—he had wanted Edward from the very beginning.
• Yet, he had never allowed himself to say it. He had kept his distance, convincing himself it was for Edward’s sake, that he must protect the image Edward had built so carefully. Richard knew how unforgiving the world could be with its whispers and judgments. Better to stay silent, better to feel from afar.
• But after Edward’s confession, the walls Richard had built began to crumble. Restraining his feelings had become a battle he no longer had the strength to fight. Every glance, every moment they shared now carried a weight he could no longer disguise—a longing that pulled at him with quiet insistence.