Chapter 107 I failed you
CHAPTER 107
I failed you
The Carter mansion felt unusually quiet that evening. Normally, the luxurious home carried an intimidating elegance filled with servants moving around silently and the faint sound of music echoing through the halls.
But tonight the atmosphere felt heavy, it felt cold, almost lifeless.
The large gates slowly opened as Alex drove the black SUV into the mansion compound. Rainwater still clung to the windows while the headlights reflected against the wet marble driveway.
Inside the car, Leo stared silently ahead.
Blake sat beside him, already noticing the tension building in Leo again.
“Are you sure about this?” Blake asked quietly.
Leo didn’t answer immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the mansion entrance.
The place carried too many memories, too many years of anger. Finally, he spoke. “I should’ve come earlier.”
The car stopped completely. Alex stepped out first before opening the back door for them.
The moment Leo stepped out of the vehicle, several workers standing nearby lowered their heads respectfully. “Welcome back, Young Master.”
Leo barely reacted. Blake followed beside him quietly as they both entered the mansion.
The large doors opened immediately and standing inside the grand hallway was Stella.
The moment she saw him, relief instantly flooded her face. “Leo…”
She took a small step forward, her eyes already turning emotional but Leo walked past her immediately without stopping. As though she didn’t even exist. The movement alone made Stella freeze painfully.
“Leo, please—”
He ignored her completely. Blake glanced briefly at Stella before following Leo upstairs silently. Stella stood there helplessly, watching them disappear toward the upper floor while guilt filled her expression.
For years, the relationship between Leo and his father had crumbled because of misunderstandings, pride, and the silent poison that slowly destroyed their family and Stella knew she had contributed to some of those problems.
That was why seeing Leo return now felt almost unreal.
Upstairs, Leo stopped briefly outside the familiar bedroom door. His expression changed instantly.
For the first time since arriving, nervousness appeared in his eyes.
Blake noticed immediately.
“You can still turn back if you want.”
Leo shook his head slowly. “No.”
Then he pushed the door open.
The room smelled faintly of medicine.
Curtains covered half the windows while medical equipment stood near the large bed and lying there looking weaker than Leo remembered…
The once powerful man who controlled entire business empires now looked fragile beneath the dim bedroom lights.
The moment Richard lifted his eyes and saw Leo standing there his entire expression shattered.
“Leo…”
His voice cracked immediately.
Leo felt his chest tighten painfully. For a second, neither of them moved.
Years of distance stood silently between them. Then suddenly Richard broke down. Tears filled the older man’s eyes as he struggled to sit upright properly.
“You actually came…”
Blake quietly looked away, giving them space.
Leo slowly walked closer toward the bed seeing his father like this destroyed every angry image he had held onto for years.
“I’m sorry,” Richard whispered suddenly.
Leo froze. His father’s trembling voice filled the room again.
“I failed you.”
The words hit harder than Leo expected. Richard lowered his head painfully. “I should’ve protected this family better, protected your mother…..I should’ve protected you.”
Leo’s throat tightened immediately.
For years, he had imagined this moment differently, there were both rivals to each other. He never liked his dad, since he lost his mom and married Stella, but at times he gave him that respect.
But standing here now… None of that mattered anymore.
“You were never there,” Leo finally muttered quietly.
Richard nodded with tears falling freely now. “I know.”
His voice broke again, “and every single day I regret it.”
Blake swallowed hard quietly from where he stood. Even he was struggling not to get emotional watching the two men.
Richard looked up weakly toward Leo again. “When your mother died… I lost myself completely.”
Leo’s eyes softened slightly.
“I thought working more would fix everything,” Richard continued painfully. “But instead, I lost my son too.”
Silence filled the room heavily.bThen unexpectedly, Leo laughed weakly through the emotions choking him.
“You really messed up.”
Richard let out a broken laugh mixed with tears. “I know.”
Leo’s walls finally cracked completely.
He stepped forward and hugged his father carefully. Richard immediately held onto him tightly and both men broke apart emotionally. Blake quietly rubbed his eyes while pretending not to watch directly.
Years of pain, silence and pride, all collapsing in one moment.
“I’m sorry,” Richard whispered repeatedly.
Leo shut his eyes tightly. “I was angry too.”
Richard pulled back slightly before looking at him again. “You had every right.”
Leo shook his head slowly. “I should’ve come sooner.”
Richard smiled sadly. “But you came now.”
The room became emotional again. Then suddenly Blake cleared his throat dramatically.
“Alright, if both of you start crying again, I’m leaving.”
Richard laughed weakly through his tears.
Leo shook his head. “You’re still annoying.”
“And you’re still dramatic,” Blake replied immediately.
Richard looked between both young men before smiling genuinely for the first time in a long while.
“I missed hearing noise in this room.”
Blake smirked.
“That’s because this mansion feels like a funeral home.”
Richard chuckled weakly.
“Your honesty is terrible.”
“Yet accurate,” Blake answered proudly.
Even Leo laughed softly now. The heavy atmosphere slowly eased as the three men continued talking. Richard asked about the court case. Leo briefly explained everything that happened while carefully avoiding mentioning the worst parts involving Ruby’s family situation.
Richard listened quietly before sighing heavily.
“That poor girl.”
Leo’s expression softened immediately at the mention of Ruby. Blake noticed but wisely stayed silent. After some time, Richard suddenly began coughing badly.
Leo’s expression changed instantly. The coughing became harsher.
Blake frowned immediately. “This isn’t normal.”
One of the nurses nearby quickly checked Richard’s condition before speaking urgently. “His blood pressure is rising again.”
Leo stood instantly.
“Why wasn’t he already admitted properly?”
The nurse hesitated nervously. “Mr. Carter refused.”
Richard looked away guiltily. Leo stared at him in disbelief. “You’re impossible.”
Richard weakly defended himself. “I hate hospitals.”
“You’re going anyway.”
Blake folded his arms. “For once, I agree with Leo.”
Richard groaned dramatically. “Wonderful. Now both of you are bullying a sick man.”
“You deserve it,” Leo replied immediately.
Despite the argument, relief filled the room again. They finally felt like family again. Within the next hour, arrangements were quickly made. Medical staff carefully prepared Richard for transport while Alex brought the car around again.
Stella stood nervously downstairs when they finally came down with Richard in a wheelchair.
Her eyes immediately filled with emotion seeing Leo helping his father carefully.
For a second, it looked like she wanted to say something again but Leo still avoided looking at her not out of hatred anymore just distance, too much damage still existed between them.
Blake pushed Richard toward the entrance while joking lightly.
“You better survive this hospital trip because I’m not attending another emotional reunion.”
Richard laughed weakly. “You’re unbelievably rude.”
“And yet lovable,” Blake answered proudly.
Leo shook his head while helping steady his father carefully into the vehicle.