Chapter 20: The Shadow of Thorne

As Victor grew older, he began to see his father for what he truly was. The more he learned about Marcus’s rise to power, the more repulsed he became by the actions that had made it possible. It was during these years that Victor realized the moral failings that ran through the very core of the Thorne name. Marcus had built his empire by tearing others down—by exploiting those who had no voice, no power, and no chance to defend themselves. Victor began to see that his inheritance was not just wealth—it was guilt, shame, and a legacy of bloodshed.

The realization came slowly, but it was unshakable. He could no longer ignore the weight of his father’s sins. And it wasn’t just his father’s actions that haunted Victor; it was the knowledge that, as a young man, he had been too self-centered to care about the damage Marcus had caused. He had been content to live in the luxury of his father’s name, enjoying the privileges it brought without understanding the cost.