Bab 245: What It Means To Be An Ashbourne

Cassius locked eyes with Lucien, his piercing blue gaze cutting deep into his son's soul. "Lucien, I killed my mother, poured acid on my brother until he was dead, and burned my father alive."

The words hit Lucien like a punch to the gut. His father's voice was cold, almost clinical—devoid of any remorse.

This wasn't the man he had known, the one who lost his temper in fleeting moments of anger. No, this was a stranger, someone terrifyingly calculated.

Lucien shivered, unsure of how to respond. His mind raced, still trying to absorb everything that his father said to him.

Cassius's voice remained emotionless as he continued, "What makes you think I'll stop my plans just because you asked?"

Lucien felt a little bit afraid, this was his father in front of him, the one he was sometimes scared of when he was a child.

But more than that, he felt shame.