Riley POV
I found my father in the library after dinner.
The children had gone upstairs with Claire and Martha. Victoria stayed with Luca because he was already exhausted from coming downstairs against medical advice. The mansion had become quiet again, but the tension from the dining room still followed me through the halls.
Richard stood near the window with a glass of water in his hand.
He did not turn when I entered.
“You embarrassed me.”
His shoulders tightened.
“I protected you.”
“No.”
I closed the door.
“You spoke as though you could decide whether I return to this house.”
“I said Luca needs to prove his intentions.”
“That is not your decision.”
He turned then.
His expression remained calm, but I could see the frustration beneath it.
“I am your father.”
“And I am not
