"Mr. Ryley."
In the recording, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard.
Lucas had stepped closer, but his gaze hadn't settled on Pedro—it had gone past him, as if he was looking at something far beyond the present.
Something inevitable.
"If one day… an heir is born through him—" Lucas's voice wavered, a quiet breath breaking through before he steadied himself, "—then you are to protect that child's future at all costs. Especially if you ever come across changes—any shifts within the system—that could turn the balance against that heir."
When the recording ended, silence fell heavy across the room.
Ryley didn't move.
The shock was written plainly on his face, his lips slightly parted as if he had something to say—but no words came. For a moment, he simply sat there, trying to steady the weight of what he had just heard.
Across from him, Pedro retrieved his phone.
