As the golden hues of twilight began to stretch across the capital, Liam Valerian’s carriage finally pulled away from the Lee estate. The departure was markedly different from his arrival. This time, Lord Pike Lee did not remain hidden within his study; he personally escorted Liam all the way to the main gates, his posture humble and his eyes filled with a complex mixture of fear and reverence.
Leon watched his father’s transformation with utter bewilderment. He was dying to know what had transpired behind those closed doors after he was dismissed, but his father offered no explanation. Pike merely looked at his son and let out a heavy, weary sigh. In the world of high politics, the higher one climbed, the more precarious the footing became. Pike had spent his entire career trying to rema
