John stood still in the middle of the room, listening to Ellis' firm footsteps echoing down the hallway until the bedroom door slammed shut. He felt the weight of guilt on his shoulders, knowing that he had lost control of the situation, allowing his anger and mistrust to overpower him. He understood that, ultimately, he was the person responsible for this rift with Ellis.

However, the figure of Vittorio Amorielle loomed like a threatening shadow in his mind. It was like a deadly ...