Chapter 125

• Damien stood at the threshold of his father’s office, the familiar oak desk engulfed in a haze of cigar smoke and unspoken tension. He could feel his heart thrumming in his chest, a steady beat that echoed his growing frustration. His father, Edward, sat behind the desk, a faint smirk curling his lips, as if he reveled in the antagonistic atmosphere.
• “Dad,” Damien began, his voice forced to remain steady, despite the storm brewing inside him. “We need to talk.”
• Edward looked up from the stack of papers he’d been shuffling, his brow arched in mock curiosity. “Oh? About what? Your latest failures? I’d rather not waste my time,” he replied, his tone dripping with disdain.