The crystal tumbler trembled slightly in Liam Monroe's grasp as he stared out the rain-streaked window of Lucas Greco's study. Thunder rumbled in the distance, an ominous backdrop to the conversation he'd been dreading for weeks. The orphanage situation had spiraled beyond his control, threatening the careful balance of power he'd maintained for decades.
"You have let the adoption process continue?" Liam asked, his voice cutting through the silence. He didn't turn to face Lucas, couldn't bear to see the smug satisfaction he knew would be there.
"Yes," Lucas replied from behind his mahogany desk, the single syllable weighted with finality.
Liam's reflection in the window looked haggard, older than his sixty-three years. The past was catching up to him, to all of them. "And you think this
