Revenge is best served cold

Chapter 1349

As James stood there, the man reached out and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Come on," he said, motioning for James to follow.

James hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Sophie's door, firmly shut. Finally, he decided to go with the man, making their way up to the fifth floor of the sprawling Burke mansion.

The hallway was cloaked in darkness, with shadows stretching out like the secrets of time. The man opened a door, revealing a room that seemed untouched for decades, like a snapshot from the past. It was a master bedroom, and as they stepped inside, a massive portrait hanging on the wall immediately caught the eye.

It was a wedding photo, the couple captured in a moment of bliss. The woman's face was calm and gentle, her beauty timeless and serene. Beside her, the man stood with an expression that mirrored James's own, a sternness etched into his features.

The man took a few steps forward, stopping at a vase perched on a table. With a simple twist, the vase triggered a hidden mechanism, sliding a cabinet aside to reveal a retractable iron door. Behind it lay a sleek, modern elevator.

all his life, yet he never suspected such a secret hidden in his parents' room. The man

the second basement level, James felt a weight settle in his

her in moments of grace and elegance. Her clothes were displayed, each piece a memory

softening as he looked around. His

it all in. In this house, traces of his mother were incredibly rare. Bea often dismissed her as restless, not the ideal wife or mother, claiming she got what she deserved. But the woman in the photographs was different, her smile

figure who had given him life but nothing more. He thought he wouldn't feel anything seeing her things. Yet, the images of a woman so alive and

mask, revealing a face lined by the years, rugged yet still holding a shadow of its former intensity. He bore a resemblance to James, the years having carved lines into his features without erasing the commanding presence he once

James, speaking slowly, "James, you've done a great job. The company's thriving under your care, and you've looked after

James scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his