Chapter 13: The Devil’s Bargain

Liam's pulse pounded in his ears as he held Dorne's gaze. The air between them felt electric, charged with unspoken threats and dangerous knowledge.

Dorne's smirk didn't waver. He tapped his fingers against the polished surface of his desk, the sound echoing in the silent office. "You remind me of your father."

Liam's body tensed. "Don't compare me to a man I barely knew."

Dorne chuckled, his deep voice smooth yet unsettling. "That's the thing about legacy, Liam. You don't get to choose it. It follows you, whether you want it or not."

Tielen shifted beside Liam, his arms crossed. "Enough with the riddles. If you know who killed his parents, spill it."

Dorne leaned back in his chair, considering his next words. Then, finally, he spoke. "The Serpentine Order."

Liam's breath caught. He had heard whispers of that name before—an underground organization so deeply entrenched in power that even the wealthiest families feared them.

"The Order doesn't just kill people," Dorne continued. "They erase them. Your parents… they were in their way."

Liam's hands curled into fists. "Why?"

Dorne's smirk faded. "That's the question, isn't it?"

Silence fell over the room, thick with tension.

Then, Dorne reached into his drawer and pulled out a single card. He slid it across the desk toward Liam.

A diamond card.

Liam's eyes narrowed. "What is this?"

"A key," Dorne said. "To everything."

Liam hesitated before picking it up. The weight of the card felt heavier than it should have, as if it carried a thousand untold secrets.

"You want revenge, don't you?" Dorne asked.

Liam's jaw clenched. "I want justice."

Dorne chuckled darkly. "Call it what you want. But you won't get it alone. Take the card, Liam. Join the game."

Liam studied the card in his hand. He knew this wasn't just an offer—it was a deal with the devil himself.

But he had already come too far to turn back.

Liam slipped the card into his pocket. "Tell me where to start."

Dorne's smile widened. "Welcome to the real world, Liam."

Liam stared at the diamond card, its cold, polished surface reflecting the dim light of the office. This wasn't just an invitation—it was a declaration that he was stepping into something far bigger than himself.

Dorne watched him, his dark eyes filled with amusement and something else—calculation. "You just took your first step into the abyss. There's no turning back now."

Liam exhaled slowly. "Where do I start?"

Dorne leaned forward. "First, you need to understand what you're up against. The Serpentine Order is not just a secret organization. They are the ones who decide the fate of kings and empires. They manipulate governments, crash economies, and erase people like they never existed. If they killed your parents, they had a damn good reason."

Liam's grip on the card tightened. "And what reason was that?"

Dorne smirked. "Your father was one of them."

The room went silent.

Liam's breath caught in his throat. "You're lying."

Dorne shook his head. "No, I'm not. Your father was part of the Order, but he did something unforgivable—he betrayed them."

Liam felt the weight of those words press down on his chest. His entire life, he had believed his parents were victims of power, innocent casualties in a world of corruption. But now, the truth was unraveling, and it was far more complex than he had ever imagined.

"What did he do?" Liam demanded.

Dorne exhaled, his smirk fading slightly. "He tried to leave."

Liam's mind raced. If his father had been part of the Order, that meant he had access to their secrets—secrets dangerous enough to get him and his wife eliminated.

Tielen, who had been standing silently until now, finally spoke. "So you're saying Liam's father was a traitor to the most dangerous organization in the world?"

Dorne nodded. "Exactly."

Liam clenched his jaw. "Then why did they let me live?"

Dorne's expression darkened. "Because they didn't know you existed."

A shiver ran down Liam's spine. He had always assumed that the people who killed his parents simply hadn't bothered to go after him. But now, the truth was clear—his existence had been a secret.

Which meant someone had protected him.

Dorne leaned back. "The Order has eyes everywhere. If they ever find out who you really are, they will come for you."

Liam looked down at the diamond card. "And what does this have to do with it?"

Dorne smirked again. "It's your ticket to power. With this, you can access hidden accounts, offshore funds, and networks that even billionaires can't touch. It's the first step to building your empire."

Liam's fingers tightened around the card. "And what do you get out of this?"

Dorne chuckled. "Let's just say I enjoy watching chaos unfold."

Liam didn't trust him—not for a second. But he also knew that if he wanted revenge, if he wanted to take down the Order, he needed power.

And power required risk.

Liam stood up. "Then I guess I'll see you on the battlefield."

Dorne's smirk widened. "That's the spirit."

As Liam and Tielen walked out of the office, the weight of everything settled on his shoulders.

His parents' deaths weren't random. His father had been part of something much bigger. And now, Liam was walking the same dangerous path.

But there was one thing the Order didn't know.

Liam wasn't his father.

He was worse.

And he was coming for them.