The years passed, and Ethan's descent into the darkness of Vincent Kane's empire deepened.
His missions became more dangerous and more ruthless. He learned to kill without hesitation—men, women, and even children.
Each death hardened him, pushing him further away from the boy he once was.
But no matter how many lives he took, Lilia remained the one thing he would not lose. He showered her with gifts, ensuring she never wanted for anything.
He kept her away from the world he was forced to navigate, hiding the blood on his hands from her.
Ethan believed that as long as Lilia was safe, as long as she had the life he had promised, his sacrifices were worth it.
The dream shifted again, and Ethan was twenty-four, standing outside Vincent Kane's office.
His heart pounded in his chest as he listened to the voices inside, the conversation that would shatter his world.
"His parents were a problem," Vincent's voice was calm, almost bored. "Too principled for their own good. The old man wanted out, and couldn't stomach the business anymore. Had to be dealt with."
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. His parents hadn't died in an accident—they had been murdered.
The man he had trusted, the man who had taken him in, had ordered their deaths. The realization sent a wave of nausea through him, but it was the next words that truly destroyed him.
"And the girl?" one of man sitting across Vincent asked.
"She was mine, an illegitimate child" Vincent replied casually. "A tool to keep the boy in line. He's been dancing to our tune the entire time, hasn't he?"
Lilia. Ethan's mind reeled as the truth crashed over him. His sister, the girl he had lived for, killed for, wasn't his sister at all.
She was Vincent's daughter, planted in his family to ensure his loyalty. Everything—his entire life—had been manipulated from the start.
Rage, unlike anything Ethan had ever known, consumed him. He felt the blood drain from his face as he stumbled away from the door.
His heart pounded, and his hands shook with fury. Lilia, the one person he had loved, the one person he had sacrificed everything for, was part of the lie.
The memory sped forward, and Ethan had prepared a plan to separate Vincent from his entourage—masking it like a grand business meeting and Lilia is called as well, Ethan found himself standing in a remote warehouse, waiting for Vincent and Lilia to arrive.
His hands trembled with the anticipation of revenge. After a year of planning, everything was finally coming to a head. He had orchestrated a deal that would bring Vincent and Lilia to him, alone.
As the door creaked open, Vincent and Lilia stepped inside, unaware of what was about to unfold. Ethan stepped from the shadows, his gun aimed directly at Vincent's chest.
"Vincent," Ethan's voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "I know everything."
Vincent paused, his eyes narrowing as a smile crept onto his face. "Ah, I see."
"You know life is unfair it's not my fault you Parents weren't the smartest tools in the shed what would you expect from me when they knew quite the things about my business" said Vincent.
He continued "But you are different, and I hope you will make a wise decision unlike certain people, anyhow I do apologise for what happened but that's the price, working for people like me"
Ethan's grip on the gun tightened. "You killed my parents. You used me, manipulated me. And Lilia..."
"Now you want me to accept your apology and forgive you for everything that happened.....NEVER! said Ethan, before shooting Vincent at point blank—in his Chest".
His gaze shifted and he looked straight into Lilia's eyes.
Lilia's eyes widened, and for the first time, Ethan saw fear in her gaze. She stepped forward, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Ethan, I can explain—"
"No!" Ethan's voice cracked, the pain and betrayal pouring out of him. "You don't get to explain! You were part of this from the beginning, weren't you? You were never my sister. You were just a tool."
Lilia's face twisted with emotion, most likely fear. "Ethan, please," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't have a choice. He made me do it."
Ethan's heart clenched, and for a moment, the cold assassin in him faltered.
He wanted to believe her, wanted to believe that she hadn't been part of it, that she had loved him as a brother. But the doubt was too strong, the betrayal too deep.
His finger hovered over the trigger, his mind swirling with anger and grief. He wanted to end it, to pull the trigger and end Lilia's life just as he did to Vincent's life. But when he looked at Lilia, something inside him hesitated.
And that hesitation was all it took.
Before Ethan could react, Lilia pulled out a gun of her own. The shot rang out, deafening in the silence. Ethan felt the searing pain as the bullet tore through his Skull, his body collapsing to the ground.
As he lay dying, the world around him blurred, and all he could think of was the betrayal. He had lived his entire life for someone who had never cared for him. Every kill, every sacrifice had been for nothing.
His vision darkened, and the cold embrace of death began to take him. But before the darkness consumed him entirely, a single thought echoed in his mind.
If I get another chance... I will live for myself.
Valen's eyes snapped open.
He gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly as the memories of Ethan Cross faded into the recesses of his mind.
His body ached, the lingering pain from the ritual still present, but it was nothing compared to the emotional weight that had been thrust upon him.
The betrayal, the lies, the manipulation—it all flooded back, fueling a cold, simmering anger deep within him. Valen sat up, his heart pounding, his mind sharp with new resolve.
He had been used once, controlled by others. But this time would be different. This time, he would control his own fate.
And nothing—no one—would stand in his way.