The Man Who Walked Like a Verdict
The sound of descending steps continued, slow, steady, and so precise it felt rehearsed. Each impact echoed through the grand hall like a heartbeat amplified by marble and silence. Nobody spoke. Nobody dared shift. The entire estate—normally a playground of noble chatter, flirtation, and empty politics—seemed to fold itself around the rhythm of those footsteps.
Even the ticking of the massive golden clock mounted above the hall began to blend with the cadence, creating a strange, haunting harmony.
Tick… step… tick… step…
Each one a warning. Each one a promise.
Up on the upper landing, shadows stirred before the figure emerged.
