While Vlad was grappling with his role as a father, Liliette found herself face-to-face with her own.
Across the grand mahogany table sat Shylock, his pale lips twisted into a cold sneer. Liliette occupied one side of the expansive office desk, while Shylock had taken the other. The setting marked a stark reversal of their old dynamic.
“You look well, my lady,” he said, his voice thick with mockery.
Shylock was as unchanged as ever. Though he appeared more gaunt than she remembered, his venomous demeanor remained intact, like a fanged serpent hiding beneath human skin. The loss of weight only seemed to strip away any semblance of humanity, making his eyes appear even more menacing.
