Chapter 23: A Shared Burden

Victor and Amelia sat on opposite ends of the parlor, the room steeped in an uneasy quiet. The flicker of the chandelier above cast a warm glow, but neither of them felt its warmth. The weight of their shared bloodline pressed heavily between them, an invisible tether to a man who had shaped their lives in such disparate, painful ways.

Victor broke the silence first. “Amelia, I know I’ve said it before, but I need you to understand—I’m not just doing this out of guilt. I want to make things right, not because I’m trying to redeem the Thorne name, but because it’s what you deserve.”

Amelia crossed her arms, her gaze hard but not hostile. “And what exactly do you think I deserve, Victor? A brother I’ve never known? A family that’s more a stain than a legacy?”