Chapter 172: A Vow Made in Ashes

Chapter 172: A Vow Made in Ashes
Zade’s Father POV

Zade has never listened to me.

Maybe that is my fault. No, it is my fault.

I was the one who shaped him, the one who trained him, the one who hardened his heart long before the world ever got the chance to. I convinced myself I was preparing him for power, for survival, for leadership. But somewhere along the way, preparation became cruelty, and guidance became control.

Lately, my wife’s words had refused to leave my mind.

You are destroying our son.

I had brushed her off for years, telling myself she was too soft, too emotional, too blind to the reality of the world we lived in. But now I saw truth in all she has been saying.

When Zade called me, I heard it in his voice.

That dangerous calm.

That excitement he always tried to hide.

He was up to something, something dangerous.

The moment the call ended, my heart pounded violently. I didn’t waste a second. I summoned my men and ordered them to search all my hideouts, every place Zade ever used when he wanted to disappear from the world.

Find him, I told them. Now.

Minutes later, they called back.

They had seen him.

I didn’t even bother changing clothes. I grabbed my keys, jumped into my car, and sped off, my thoughts racing faster than the road beneath my tires.

This ends today, I promised myself. I will stop him, I will finally be a father.

But fate had other plans.

The moment I stepped inside the building, the whole place felt too quiet. My chest tightened before my mind could even catch up.

Then I heard it.

“He’s gone….”

The words shattered me.

I staggered forward, my legs suddenly weak. “Who?” I asked, though dread already clawed at my soul. “Who is gone?”

No one answered.

And then I saw him.

My son.

Zade.

He lay on the cold floor, motionless, his body soaked in blood that pooled beneath him like a cruel reminder of my failures. My breath hitched painfully as everything blur.

“No.…” I whispered.

I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands trembling as I touched his face. He was cold, very cold and looking pale.

In that moment, everything I had buried came crashing down.

Yes, I had been a terrible father.

I was the one who turned my son into a monster he never wanted to be. I was the one who pushed him into darkness when his heart had leaned toward the light.

And now, my only son lay dead, alone, in his own blood.

I had come to end everything, every feud, every act of evil, but I was too late.

Too late to save him.

Too late to change him.

Too late to say I’m sorry.

I pulled his body into my arms and cried, I cried like I never had before. The memories flooded in freely, every time he hesitated, every time he begged to stop, every time I told him weakness had no place in our world.

“Zade!!” I screamed, my voice breaking into sobs. “I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t mean for him to die.”

I looked up sharply.

Dana.

She was crying uncontrollably, her hands shaking as she pleaded. Her pain was real, but it's nothing like the guilt crushing my chest.

I exhaled deeply.

I finally saw the truth clearly.

The villain in this story was not standing in front of me.

“You can all go,” I said quietly, my voice cracked and hollow. “The fight is over.”

My men protested, but I silenced them with a single look.

“And please, forgive Zade,” I continued, tears streaming freely. “He was a good boy, a good son. I was the one who forced him into evil.”

One of my men stepped forward angrily. “Boss, this children killed your son....”

“You wouldn’t understand,” I interrupted, wiping my eyes.

I walked toward Damian.

Slowly, deliberately, I brought my hands together in front of me in a gesture of surrender of apology.

“Damian,” I said softly. “I know I’ve been a monster. What we did to you, nothing can justify it.”

My voice broke.

“But please, find it in your heart to forgive me and forgive Zade.”

Damian was silent.

Alex and Kyle stepped closer to him, holding his hands, grounding him. After a moment, Damian looked up at me, and smiled gently.

“I forgive you, Mr. Frost,” he said calmly. “I forgave you a long time ago.”

His words pierced my heart.

“I only wish Zade had this chance too,” Damian continued. “To stand here and apologize. But I forgave him as well, before he even asked.”

Tears poured down my face.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I opened my arms, and Damian hugged me. In that embrace, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years, peace.

I then walked to Dana, who stood trembling, her eyes still fixed on Zade’s body. I held her hands gently.

“Don’t be afraid, child,” I said softly. “Some things are destined to happen. Sometimes prophecy needs people to fulfill it, even when it hurts.”

I turned away, lifting Zade’s body into my arms.

The weight was unbearable, not because of his body size, but because of the guilt I carried inside of me.

What will I tell my wife? I wondered as tears blurred my vision.

I placed him in the car and drove home in silence.

The moment my car pulled into the compound, my wife ran outside, clearly expecting to see Zade so she could scold him.

Instead, she saw me carrying his lifeless body.

Her scream tore through the whole compound.

She ran toward us, collapsing as she took him from my arms.

“What happened?” she cried. “What happened to my son?”

“He abducted Damian,” I confessed through tears. “He planned to kill him, but he died instead.”

Her body trembled violently. She fell to the ground, Zade slipping from her arms.

“I warned you!” she screamed, hitting my chest weakly. “I warned you, but you never listened.”

“I’m sorry,” I sobbed, holding her tightly. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry won’t bring him back.” she cried.

I knew that. And it shattered me.

Later, we prepared his body in the backyard, placing him on the wood as tradition demanded. The fire burned brightly, taking my son from this world forever.

Then we heard footsteps.

Hana.

She ran toward us, tears streaming. “You didn’t even let me see my brother before burying him,” she cried.

I pulled her into my arms, my heart breaking all over again.

“We’re sorry, my dear.”

Damian, Dana, and the others joined us, wrapping us in silent comfort.

That night, I lost my son.

And with him, I lost the man I used to be.

Some lessons come too late.

But I swear, his death will be the end of my wickedness.