At 1:00 AM, the mansion was completely silent. Salvatore was still sitting in his office behind the desk. The empty wooden box that had once held his parents' photograph still sat in the corner, a stark reminder of the betrayal that had occurred within his own walls.
"Bring him in," Salvatore said to the empty room.
The door opened, and Roderick stepped inside, guiding Teo in slowly.
The boy had stopped crying, but his eyes were bloodshot and he wouldn't look up from the floor. Roderick stayed near the door, his arms crossed and his face serious.
Teo stopped three feet from the desk. He was trembling violently and looked terrified.
Salvatore leaned forward, resting his forearms on the wood.
"Do you understand what you did, Teo?" His voice was calm.
Teo swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Yes... I'm so sorry..."
