The Virtue Ending
Lucien was a man of detachment, an observer in a world he neither cared for nor sought to change. To him, life unfolded as it was meant to, a series of inconsequential events, none of which ever managed to spark his interest.
His world was meticulously ordered, untouched by chaos, even when his father arrived home one day with a stranger in tow.
The boy, Noah, introduced as Lucien’s cousin, was young, quiet, and entirely unremarkable.
The boy’s sudden appearance raised more questions than answers, especially since no one had known of his existence until that moment. Lucien, true to his nature, dismissed the development as yet another insignificant twist in his father’s unpredictable whims.
Until he found a peculiar book, one whose cryptic words seemed to draw a connection to the boy.
Against his better judgment, he began to notice the boy’s every move, every glance, every hesitation.
For the first time in his carefully controlled existence, Lucien’s mask faltered.
