At that moment, hearing is father words Oliver halted mid-step, his hand resting on the doorknob. Slowly, he turned his head toward his father, his face blank, but his eyes burning with quiet defiance. The air in the room was more tense now, the silence sharp enough to cut.
"Why do you keep repeating yourself?" Oliver asked, his tone calm but heavy, every word deliberate. "I've already said it once, that I'm no longer part of this family. So why keep shouting it? Are you trying to convince me… or yourself?"
Immediately his father's jaw tightened, the muscles in his face twitching as the weight of Oliver's words sank in. For a moment, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The silence was louder than any argument they had shared.
Without another word, Oliver turned his back to them, opened the door, and walked out. The sound of the door shutting behind him echoed through the house, final and cold.
