The morning air in the mansion was cold and still. Dust floated in the golden light that slipped through the curtains. The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint ticking of the old clock in the hallway.
Victoria sat in the grand living room, her hands folded tightly on her lap. A cup of untouched tea sat beside her, the steam long gone.
Across from her, Carson sat slouched in a chair, his eyes hollow. His hair was messy, his face unshaven. The proud look he once carried was gone. The man who had once commanded boardrooms now looked like a shadow of himself.
Victoria watched him quietly. She had spent nights thinking about this moment—rehearsing the words she dreaded to say.
Finally, she broke the silence. “Carson,” she said softly. “We need to talk.”
He didn’t look up. “There’s
