Aurora stepped into the dimly lit study, where her father, Marquis Bernat Reylson, sat slumped in his chair, the weight of the world pressing heavily on his shoulders. The room, adorned with rich mahogany furniture and ornate decorations, felt stark against his sombre demeanour. Shadows danced across the walls, mirroring the shadows of defeat in his eyes—a sharp contrast to the powerful man he once was.
She gritted her teeth, anger boiling as she surveyed the ruins of her family's reputation. The once-revered name of Reylson was now tainted with scandal. She never expected her father to be suspended from his position in the court, deepening the doom that seemed to engulf them daily. The good news she had received from Marcus that morning had quickly soured into bitterness as the news of her father's disgrace spread throughout the kingdom.
"Father," she whispered, moving closer to him, her heart aching at his despair. "You can't let this defeat define you."
