Revenge is Best Served After Reborn (James) novel 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.

James had lived here all his life, yet he never suspected such a secret hidden in his parents' room. The man entered the elevator first, with James trailing closely behind.

As the elevator descended to the second basement level, James felt a weight settle in his chest. No matter how prepared he thought he was, the reality still hit hard.

The room they entered was filled with photographs of a woman, capturing her in moments of grace and elegance. Her clothes were displayed, each piece a memory of her presence.

"These are all your mother’s belongings," the man said, his voice softening as he looked around. His eyes grew tender when they fell upon the items.

“Where were you during Burke International's darkest days?” he challenged. “Where were you when we were being pushed to the brink?”

“And now you say you’re proud?” he continued, stepping back, his voice turning cold, almost mocking, “Father? Weren’t you supposed to be dead? If you were gone, why come back now?”

Joseph took off the voice changer from around his neck, his words steady as he replied, “I did it for your mother. Everything I’ve done was so we could be together again as a family.”

Listening to Joseph, James couldn’t help but find the notion absurd. “Together again?” he echoed, the words sounding hollow.