The wind howled outside, its icy fingers pressing against the windows of the mansion, but inside, the temperature was colder still. Yun stood at the center of the drawing room, his fists clenched at his sides. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the room, accentuating the unease in the air. Lady Shen had retreated into silence once more, her eyes distant and filled with a sorrowful regret that only fueled the fire of his questions.
"How long were you planning on keeping this from me?" Yun's voice broke the silence, sharp and filled with the weight of betrayal. He had given her time, space, and trust, but now it felt like that trust had been shattered, piece by piece, like delicate porcelain falling to the ground.
Lady Shen's gaze remained fixed on the floor. She didn't meet his eyes. "I never wanted to deceive you, Yun. I only… I only wanted to protect you from the truth. It's too dangerous."
"Too dangerous?" Yun repeated, incredulous. "But you've been hiding it from me all along. What was I supposed to do, live my life in ignorance?"
She flinched at his words, but there was no denying the tension that had now built between them. She took a slow step forward, her expression softening, though her eyes remained clouded with regret. "The truth you seek will change everything you thought you knew. It's not just about your family… it's about you, Yun. You were never meant to inherit this curse. You were never meant to bear this burden."
Yun shook his head, frustration growing within him. "What do you mean by 'curse'? What have you been hiding?"
For a long moment, Lady Shen remained silent. The room seemed to close in around them as if the very walls were holding their breath, waiting for her to speak.
Finally, she met his gaze, her eyes filled with a deep, haunting sorrow. "The estate, your family's power… it all comes from a forbidden pact made long ago. Your ancestors sold their souls for power—your father, too, was part of this. And now, you, Yun… you're the last in line to bear the price of that pact."
Yun felt his stomach twist as her words hit him with the force of a physical blow. He had always known that his family's rise to power hadn't been without its costs, but this… this was something darker. Something he couldn't fully comprehend.
"How do you know all this?" Yun asked, his voice low, though his anger simmered beneath the surface.
"I wasn't always who you think I am, Yun," Lady Shen whispered, stepping closer to him. "I was part of it. I was involved in that pact, too. But I broke free. That's why I've been protecting you, shielding you from the truth."
Yun's world seemed to tilt as the gravity of her confession settled into his bones. She had been part of the very darkness that had claimed his family? The very reason his bloodline had been cursed? He couldn't grasp the enormity of it, couldn't fathom the depth of her involvement.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Yun demanded, stepping forward. His eyes burned with frustration, betrayal, and confusion. "Why wait until now? After everything that's happened, why keep me in the dark?"
Lady Shen's face softened, and she reached out as if to touch him, but hesitated before her hand could make contact. "Because I knew you weren't ready to hear it. And I knew that once you did… there would be no turning back."
The weight of her words settled in the room like a thick fog. Yun didn't know how to respond. His thoughts raced, but the anger that had been burning in his chest slowly gave way to an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Everything he had believed—everything he had fought for—was built on a lie. His very existence had been tied to something dark, something forbidden.
"You said there's no turning back," Yun finally said, his voice quieter now, heavy with the weight of his thoughts. "Does that mean I can't escape it?"
Lady Shen's eyes closed briefly, and when she opened them again, they were filled with an emotion Yun had never seen from her—fear. "You can try," she said, "but the curse is a part of you. You've already started to awaken the power that's tied to it. It's in your blood, Yun. And if you don't learn to control it, it will consume you."
The words hung in the air like a sword poised above his head. His power—his family's power—wasn't something he could just cast aside. It was as much a part of him as his very soul. And the thought of it consuming him… was more terrifying than anything he had ever imagined.
Before he could speak again, a loud crash echoed from the hallway outside. Yun's body tensed, his instincts kicking in. Someone was here—someone who wasn't supposed to be.
Lady Shen's eyes widened, her face draining of color. "No… not now…"
Before she could say more, the door to the drawing room burst open, revealing a figure cloaked in shadow. The man's presence filled the doorway like a dark cloud, his face hidden beneath the hood of his cloak, but his aura was unmistakable.
"Yun," the man's voice was smooth, cold, and chilling. "It's time you learned the rest of the truth."
Yun's heart stopped in his chest. He knew this man—or at least, he should have. The name that hovered at the edge of his memory was clouded with shadows, but something told him this encounter would change everything.
"Who are you?" Yun asked, his voice tight with suspicion.
The man stepped forward, revealing his face, and Yun's blood ran cold. The figure before him was someone he never thought he'd see again—someone who should have been lost to the past.
"I'm the one who's been watching you, Yun," the man said, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "And I've come to collect what's mine.