Chapter 75. Panic Flooding In...

Gerard grabbed the bottle of whiskey and hurled it against the wall.

The glass exploded into shards, amber liquid dripping down like blood against the cream wallpaper.

“That ungrateful brat!!!” he roared, voice thick with alcohol and rage. “How dare he disobey me?”

The silence that followed was heavy, disturbed only by the faint hum of the air conditioner. His chest heaved as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette. With trembling hands, he lit it, inhaled deeply, then exhaled smoke that curled upward, staining the ceiling.

His office was a mess—papers scattered across the mahogany desk, half-drunk bottles littering the floor, and ashtrays overflowing with cigarette butts. It reeked of smoke, liquor, and failure.

Gerard’s bloodshot eyes scanned the room until they landed on a frame lying carelessly on a nearby shelf. He staggered forward and picked it up. A woman’s face smiled back at him—Elene.

His jaw tightened. “You,” he spat, voice