-Dimitri Sokolov:
The next morning, the first thing I did was make breakfast for both my brother and Nikolai.
Pancakes, eggs, some fresh fruit—nothing extravagant, but enough to fill us up for today.
I made sure the presentation was perfect for Nikolai, with a smile on my face as I served it to him.
He deserved it.
He deserved every bit of care and happiness I could give him.
But Damon? Damon deserved nothing, but I still have to feed him.
After breakfast, I made my way down to the basement, holding a second plate of food.
My steps echoed on the stairs, the sound sharp and deliberate as if to announce my arrival.
I pushed the door open, and there he was, sitting on the cold floor, leaning against the wall, his body slumped and lifeless.
He looked like a shadow of himself—pale, gaunt, his skin stretched tightly over his bones.
His eyes were blank, staring at nothing, and his whole body radiated defeat. Even his aura, once so commanding, was pitiful now.
