1 I

Even a five-year-old like Liam could sense the tension in the Velrodi home, which stood proud and opulent. The weight of an unspoken strife overpowered the magnificence of the mansion. It was a strange day, engraved clearly into little Liam's memory, when the peace of their luxurious house was disturbed by a new presence.

Liam's father, a figure of authority with an air of influence that matched their old-money position, stood with a blade-like gaze. He didn't look at Liam's mother with warmth or familiarity. Instead, it was filled with tension and guilt, the polar opposite of the love and connection that should exist within a family.

A woman with a child in her arms stood by his father, her presence cloaked in mystery. This child, no more than three years old, bore a strong likeness to Liam's father, casting doubt on their family ties. Even at his early age, Liam could see that this woman was no ordinary visitor. She exuded a sense of importance that left an unforgettable imprint on the family.

Liam studied his mother, whose sadness was evident, with innocent eyes riveted on this scene of turmoil. Her eyes, which had once been filled with warmth and affection for the guy standing beside her, now reflected a deep melancholy that appeared to touch the very core of her soul. The expression of agony on her face said it all.

"Why?" Liam's mother, Evelyn, forced herself to ask that question. Her voice trembled with a mix of pain and uncertainty, as if she already knew the answer deep down, but needed to hear it spoken aloud.

"You already know the reason, Evelyn," Richard said, his voice tinged with sadness, a touch of resignation betraying the complicated emotions boiling beneath his calm demeanour.

Evelyn's heart bled at the confirmation, the reality that had long lurked in the shadows finally revealed to her. She took a long breath and nodded slowly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. It was a silent acceptance of a reality she had worked so hard to reject for so long.

Liam stood there watching his mother and father, his young mind straining to comprehend the gravity of their talk. He was aware of a significant shift, a fracture that reached deeper than the surface. The tension in the room was palpable, like a storm about to break.

Evelyn's voice quiver as she spoke, her words a mixture of sorrow and silent desperation. "How could you, Richard?" "How could you bring her into our home?"

Richard's gaze shifted for a few second, a glint of regret in his eyes. "Evelyn, you must understand that this was not a decision I made lightly." There are... circumstances that you may be unaware of."

Evelyn's shoulders slumped, a mixture of disappointment and grief flooding over her. "Circumstances? Is that what you're calling it?" She scoffed in disbelief "You said this would never happen. Y-you promised."

At this point, Evelyn was on the brink of tears.

"I know," Richard's jaw clenched, the weight of his words heavy with regret. "But I had no choice, Evelyn. I need you to underst-"

"Don't you f*cking tell me to understand, Richard!" Evelyn's voice rose, her anger breaking through the veneer of calm she had fought to maintain.

Her tears fell freely now, a cascade of shattered promises and unspoken pain. Liam flinched a little as his mother raised her voice. He felt a mix of fear and confusion.

"D-rank," Richard's voice trembled slightly as he forced himself to speak. "Liam has a D-ranked talent." Evelyn's eyes widened, the mention of their son's potential drawing her attention away from her anger for a moment.

"I have an S-rank talent, and you," Richard's voice grew softer, filled with a sadness that mirrored the weight of the situation, "you have an A-rank talent. It doesn't make any sense."

Evelyn's gaze hardened as she regarded her husband "What are you trying to insinuate, Richard?" She asked.

"He also looks just like you" Richard continued. "Is Liam really my son?" The room seemed to freeze, time itself holding its breath as the gravity of Richard's question settled in. Liam, still trying to make sense of the situation, felt a shiver run down his spine.

The room seemed to freeze, time itself holding its breath as the gravity of Richard's question settled in. Liam, still trying to make sense of the situation, felt a shiver run down his spine. Evelyn's face contorted in a mixture of anger and hurt.

"How dare you," she hissed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Liam is your son, Richard. You know it as well as I do." She took a step forward, her eyes darkening with an anger that was fueled by years of unspoken resentment. "He's our son, Richard. Our flesh and blood. And you," she spat out the words as if they tasted bitter on her tongue, "you promised to love him, to protect him, no matter what."

Richard's face crumpled in guilt, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his wife's words. "I know, Evelyn. I know I promised." He took a step forward, his voice choked with emotion. "But I can't ignore the truth, Evelyn. Liam's talent...it's too low. He can't protect himself, he can't protect us. He's a liability, Evelyn. And with everything that's happening in the world right now, we can't afford to have a liability in our family."

Evelyn's eyes narrowed, her fists clenching at her sides. "You're willing to throw away your own son, Richard? Your flesh and blood?" Evelyn's voice was thick with emotion as she spoke.

"..." All Evelyn met was silence. Liam stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest. The weight of his parents' conversation bore down on him like a heavy burden. The revelation that his father questioned his parentage, the truth that his talent was considered insufficient – it was a reality he couldn't comprehend fully.

Evelyn's gaze shifted from her husband to the woman and the child standing beside him, a mix of emotions contorting her features. The woman, who had been observing the exchange with a detached yet knowing expression, held a sense of poise that clashed with the turmoil that had enveloped the room.

Tears welled up in Evelyn's eyes as she met her husband's gaze, a mixture of betrayal and heartbreak echoing in her voice. "So you're replacing Liam with him? You're replacing our son?" It sounded like a question even though Evelyn already knew the answer.

Richard's gaze shifted, his eyes avoiding Evelyn's piercing stare. He knew that his facade was crumbling, that the excuses he had clung to were unraveling before him. His guilt, like a boulder, pressed heavily on his chest, revealing the true nature of his actions.

Evelyn's voice, though tinged with sorrow, held a note of determination. "Tell me the truth, Richard," she implored, her eyes never leaving his face. "What is the real reason behind this? Why are you so willing to discard our own son?"

Richard's lips pressed into a thin line.

"You think I don't know?" Evelyn's voice was a mix of anger and hurt. "You think I can't see through the lies?"

Richard's shoulders sagged, the facade he had built over the years crumbling like a fragile façade. He knew he couldn't hide any longer, not from Evelyn and certainly not from himself.

Evelyn's voice grew softer, a hint of vulnerability breaking through her anger. "We were meant to be partners, Richard. Through thick and thin. Why couldn't you trust me enough to share your fears, your worries?"

Richard's gaze finally met Evelyn's, the weight of his shame reflected in his eyes. "I was... I was afraid," he admitted, his voice a mere whisper. "Afraid of what they would say, of how they would judge me."

Evelyn's eyes softened, a mixture of understanding and sadness in her gaze. "Who are 'they,' Richard? Who are you so desperate to impress that you would sacrifice our family?"

Richard's lips trembled, his guilt laid bare for all to see. "My family, Evelyn," he confessed, his voice laden with shame. "The Velrodi legacy, the reputation of our name. I am sorry Evelyn but I can't take back what has been done, I am doing this for the sake of the Velrodi's name."

Richard took in a deep breath and continued "This is Leon, my son and his mother, Nova." He motioned towards the mother and child that were standing beside him "And from now on, they will be living here."

Without waiting for another word from anyone, Richard walked out of the living room. He did not even bother to show Nova and Leon their rooms.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as Richard's words hung in the air, the weight of his confession settling over the family like a heavy fog. Evelyn's gaze remained fixed on the spot where Richard had stood, her mind racing to process the truth she had just learned.

Liam, caught in the midst of this turmoil, felt a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. Confusion, anger, sadness – all of them mingled together, leaving him overwhelmed and uncertain.

Nova stood there, her expression unreadable, as if she were an observer to the unfolding drama rather than a participant.

Leon, barely a toddler, looked around with wide eyes, his innocence a stark contrast to the complexity of the situation. He seemed oblivious to the tension that permeated the room.