With that, he turned away, leaving Olivia to weep on the sofa. He walked back to his mother’s room, each step heavy yet resolute. As he entered, Margaret looked up at him with a calmness he didn’t expect.

“Thank you, Ethan,” she said softly, as though reading his thoughts.

He knelt beside her, taking her hand in his. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t know…I didn’t see it.”

“It’s alright, my dear,” she replied, her voice gentle and forgiving. “We’ll get through this together.”

In that moment, Ethan understood that wealth, success, and even love could be fleeting, but family—true family—was enduring. And he was determined to protect it, no matter the cost.