Chapter 22: The Weight of the Past

Victor sat in the quiet of his study, the crackling fireplace casting a warm glow across the room. He stared at the framed portrait of his father on the mantle—Marcus Thorne, a man of towering ambition and ruthless resolve. That image had once evoked pride, but now it only served as a reminder of the legacy Victor wished to leave behind.

The revelation of Amelia’s existence had shaken him to his core. She was the embodiment of everything his father had hidden, the human cost of Marcus’s relentless pursuit of power. Victor ran his fingers through his hair, leaning back in his chair as memories of his childhood surfaced, unbidden.