Chapter 132

'The story of your father is a sad one,' Nora said, her voice tinged with sorrow. 'He was a brave and kind man, but he was a soldier, and he saw much death and destruction in his life. It changed him, and he began to believe that violence was the only way to solve problems. He became angry and bitter, and he could not see any other way to live.'

Markus listened intently, his heart heavy with grief. He knew his father had been a good man once, but the years of war had taken their toll. He wished he could have known his father as a child.

She paused, as if considering her next words carefully. 'But he did love me. And I believe he loved you, too. He simply could not see beyond his own ambitions. And in the end, those ambitions destroyed him. He used his friends as pawns, and they in turn betrayed him. Revenge and power consumed him, and he was lost to the darkness.'

Nora's eyes were bright with unshed tears. 'But you, my dear, you have a choice. You can choose a different path, a better