The air inside the car was thick with tension as they drove back to the mansion. Nereus could still hear the echoes of gunfire ringing in his ears, the scent of smoke clinging to his clothes.
He stared out the window, watching the city blur past, trying to process everything he had witnessed.Victor sat beside him, silent and unreadable.
His presence was both a comfort and a source of anxiety. Nereus knew what he had signed up for, but seeing the violence, the bloodshed, and the ruthlessness of Victor's world firsthand was different from anything he had imagined.It was real now.
Victor's voice broke through the silence, low and steady.
"You did well today."Nereus blinked, turning to look at him. "I didn't do much."
"You kept your head," Victor replied. "That's more than most would do in their first real fight."Nereus let out a slow breath.
"It was... a lot. But I'm not going to run from it."Victor's eyes softened, though the tension in his body remained. "I never wanted this for you."
"I know," Nereus said, reaching for his hand. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."
Victor held his gaze for a moment before squeezing his hand gently.
"There's more coming, Nereus. Luca won't stop until one of us is dead. And it won't just be him. The entire empire is watching. The moment they sense weakness, they'll strike."
"I won't let you face that alone," Nereus said, his voice firm. "We'll get through this."Victor's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes darkening.
"There are things you still don't know, Nereus. Things I haven't told you."Nereus frowned, a sense of unease creeping into his chest.
"What do you mean?"Victor hesitated, his gaze drifting away as he seemed to weigh his next words carefully.
"There's a reason Luca is coming after me so hard. It's not just a power play. There's something personal between us. Something... unresolved."
Nereus's heart skipped a beat.
"What is it?"Victor's jaw tightened.
"Luca and I were once... close. Partners, in a way. But that was a long time ago. We made a deal—a pact—and I broke it. He never forgave me."
Nereus's mind raced, trying to piece together what Victor was saying.
"What kind of deal?"Victor exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"We agreed to split the territory, to rule together. But I wanted more. I wanted control. I went behind his back, took what he thought was his, and in the process, I... took someone he loved."Nereus's eyes widened.
"You took... someone?"Victor's gaze met his, filled with regret.
"It wasn't supposed to happen that way. She got caught in the middle. She died because of me."
Nereus's breath hitched, the weight of Victor's confession settling heavily on his chest.
"And Luca's been coming for you ever since?"Victor nodded, his face a mask of guilt. "He's never forgiven me. And I don't blame him."
The car pulled up to the mansion, but Nereus barely noticed. His mind was reeling with everything Victor had just revealed.
It was as if a curtain had been pulled back, exposing the raw, painful truth behind the war they were fighting.Victor opened the car door, pausing before stepping out.
"There's more, but I don't want to drag you into that part of my past."Nereus shook his head, following Victor out of the car.
"I need to know, Victor. If I'm going to be with you, I need to know everything."
Victor stopped, turning to face him.
"Are you sure you want that? My past isn't something you can just walk away from once you know."
Nereus's heart pounded, but he nodded.
"I'm sure."
Victor studied him for a long moment, then finally sighed, as if the weight of years of secrets was too much to carry any longer.
"Alright. Tomorrow, I'll tell you everything."
They walked into the mansion together, the looming promise of Victor's past hanging between them like a shadow.
Nereus could feel the shift, the calm before the inevitable storm that was approaching. Luca wasn't just an enemy now—he was the embodiment of Victor's mistakes, of the ghosts that haunted him.
And Nereus knew that facing Luca meant more than just defeating a rival. It meant confronting the darkness in Victor's past, and maybe even in himself.
Later that night, as they lay together in bed, Nereus couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something dangerous—something that would either bind them closer together or tear them apart.
Victor was already asleep, his breathing deep and steady, but Nereus stayed awake, staring up at the ceiling, his mind spinning with questions.
What had really happened between Victor and Luca? And could their relationship survive the truth?Tomorrow would bring answers.
But for now, Nereus could only wait, the weight of the unknown pressing down on him like a heavy tide.
The storm was coming, and there was no telling what it would wash away.