Part 2: Choices
The restricted wing of the mansion was silent.
Cold.
Untouched.
Inside one of the rooms—
Damian sat across from Lucas.
Documents spread across the table.
Maps.
Locations.
Lucas pointed at one.
"They've moved again."
Damian's jaw tightened slightly.
"I want the exact location."
"We're working on it."
Lucas replied.
Just then—
The door opened suddenly.
A guard stepped in.
Holding Ethan firmly by the arm.
"Boss."
Damian's eyes lifted slowly.
"What is he doing here?"
The guard spoke immediately.
"He tried to enter the restricted area."
Ethan pulled his arm free.
"I walked in."
He corrected calmly.
Damian stood.
Slowly.
Dangerously calm.
"What are you doing here?"
Ethan didn't flinch.
"I could ask you the same thing."
Lucas watched quietly.
Ethan's eyes shifted to the table.
Maps.
Coordinates.
He smirked slightly.
"I see you've been trying to find a certain location."
Damian said nothing.
Ethan crossed his arms.
"Guess it's been difficult."
A pause.
"Well… I can help."
Damian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"If you just ask."
Ethan added proudly.
Silence.
Then—
"You can hack?"
Damian asked.
Ethan smirked.
"Yeah."
Lucas glanced at Damian.
Damian looked back at Ethan.
Studying him.
Then he stepped aside slightly.
"Fine."
"Get to work."
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He walked forward.
Sat down.
Within minutes—
His fingers moved quickly.
Confident.
Precise.
Lucas leaned in slightly.
Impressed.
"Where did you learn this?"
"Internet."
Ethan replied casually.
Damian watched him.
Carefully.
Minutes passed.
Then—
"I've got it."
He turned the screen toward them.
Exact location.
Coordinates.
Everything.
Lucas let out a low whistle.
"Damn."
Damian's lips curved slightly.
Barely noticeable.
"Good."
Ethan leaned back.
"Told you."
From that moment—
Everything changed.
Damian started calling him in.
Again.
And again.
Teaching him.
Guiding him.
The rules.
The code.
The life.
And Ethan…
Was learning fast.
Too fast.
Days Later
Morning.
Seraphina stood by the door.
Her small backpack on.
"Uncle Ethan!"
No answer.
Elara frowned.
"He's not going to school again?"
A maid nodded quietly.
"He left early with Master Damian."
Elara's expression changed instantly.
Later That Day
The doors opened.
Damian walked in.
Ethan behind him.
Relaxed.
"Elara!"
Her voice came sharp.
"Ethan!"
She walked up to him.
Angry.
"You missed your lectures again?"
Ethan shrugged.
"I had something more important."
Before he could finish—
She grabbed his ear.
"Ow—hey!"
"What is wrong with you?"
"You came here to study!"
"I am learning."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. Real-life skills."
Elara tightened her grip slightly.
"I will drag you back to school myself!"
"Relax, you're overreacting."
That was it.
Damian stepped forward.
"Leave him."
Elara froze.
"What?"
Her grip loosened slowly.
Damian's expression was cold.
"This is his future."
"This is his life."
Elara shot back immediately.
"And he's throwing it away!"
"Let him choose."
Damian said calmly.
"He's not a child anymore."
Silence.
Elara stared at him.
Hurt.
Angry.
"Choose?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"You call this a choice?"
She gestured around.
"This life?"
A pause.
Then—
She said it.
"The same dark, dangerous life you dragged me into?"
Silence.
Heavy.
Deadly.
Ethan's expression changed instantly.
Lucas, who had just walked in, froze.
Because they all knew—
That was a line.
And it had just been crossed.
Damian didn't move.
But his eyes…
Turned cold.
That familiar darkness returned.
The devil.
"You think I dragged you?"
He asked quietly.
His voice calm.
Too calm.
Elara's breath caught.
But she didn't back down.
"I didn't choose this life, Damian."
A pause.
"And I won't let him ruin his own."
Silence filled the room.
Ethan looked between them.
For once—
He didn't speak.
Because this…
Was no longer a simple argument.
This was something deeper.
And dangerous.
Damian's gaze remained on Elara.
Unreadable.
Cold.
Then finally—
He spoke.
"Stay out of it."
His voice dropped.
"Both of you."
And just like that—
The distance between them returned.
Wider than ever.
To be continued…