Chapter 4 — The Lair

Armando

Armando D’Angelo sat in the dark, his hands gripping the arms of a leather chair as the faint crackle from the fireplace filled the room. The embers glowed low, restless shadows flickering across the cavernous walls of his private study. The scent of cigars lingered faintly in the air, though he had not lit one tonight. This room, his sanctuary, now felt heavy, the weight of his thoughts pressing down like stones.