Punishment For Treachery (2)

Tears streamed down Lirien's cheeks as she gently stroked Ronan's cheek to calm his emotions. "You don't need to explain, Ronan. I understand why you did it. We're partners, after all," Lirien said, her voice quivering with sadness as her face contorted in anguish. 

"But if you had succeeded, would it have been worth it? Did you think I could continue living happily with our child without feeling guilty? Husband, why didn't you tell me before making such a deal?" she added. 

Listening to Lirien's words, Ronan felt each syllable scrape painfully at his ears, stabbing his heart with every sentence. 

"I'm sorry, Lirien," Ronan said, his voice trembling with a mix of apology and despair.

Watching this emotional exchange, Patriarch Rylan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them, his expression morphing into a calm resolve. Ronan had committed an unforgivable deed that could not be forgiven even with death.