On a dark and stormy day, people dressed in black gathered at the gravesite. Some had already paid their respects and were leaving, while others remained, waiting for the young man who stood silently before the grave.

Amelia, Gramps, and Victor's son observed from a distance as Victor stood in the rain, his gaze fixed on his mother's tombstone. They worried about him, as he hadn't shown any emotion or uttered a word since the visit from the officers.

"Should we go and check on him?" Amelia asked with concern. She had been visiting him every day, but he remained unresponsive, staring blankly out of the window during her visits.

"Leave him be; he just needs some time," Gramps advised, recognizing the extent of the child's shattered state.

To their astonishment, Victor suddenly dropped to his knees and wept uncontrollably. It was the first time in a long while that he had screamed, and the pain he expressed broke Amelia's heart.

"Mother, I'm sorry for being so weak and unable to protect you," Victor lamented.

"Mother, I'm sorry for everything..." he continued, tears mixing with the pouring rain.

Concerned about Victor getting soaked, Amelia approached him with an umbrella, shielding him from the rain. When Victor realized he was no longer getting wet, he looked up and saw Amelia forcing a smile on her face.

'Amelia, why do you always act so strong in front of me? Why do you always protect me? I'm the man; shouldn't I be the one protecting both of you? But I'm so weak that I couldn't even protect my own mother,' Victor expressed, reflecting on the numerous times Amelia had protected him during his time at the academy. Without her, he would have struggled to survive.

Victor remained silent, gazing back at his mother's grave and crying even harder.

Recognizing that her presence was unnecessary at that moment, Amelia decided to leave him alone. It seemed that neither the rain nor her comfort could ease his pain.

As Amelia departed with Gramps and Victor's son, she stole a final glimpse at Victor, who was still kneeling at his mother's grave. Her heart shattered as she witnessed him pounding the ground with his fists. Holding back her tears, she watched him continue to walk away.

The rain eventually ceased, but the dark clouds lingered in the sky. Victor remained at the gravesite, soaked and forlorn. Suddenly, a voice called out his name.

"Victor."

Thinking he might have been hearing things due to his wet condition and potential sickness, Victor didn't respond. But the voice persisted, calling his name.

"Victor." 

He soon came to the realization that he had awakened from his dream, and the voice calling his name was indeed real. Turning towards the source, he laid eyes on a well-dressed man holding a flower.

This man, tall and unfamiliar, captivated Victor's gaze, leaving him wondering about the stranger's identity and purpose. Victor observed as the man approached, carrying the flower, and gently placed it on his mother's grave.

As the man paid his respects to Victor's mother, a wave of silence fell upon Victor, who stood there with a blank expression. Thoughts raced through his mind, questioning the meaning behind the man's apology for failing to protect his mother. Who was this man?

No matter how much Victor pondered, he had no recollection or memory of encountering such a person before. He even entertained the possibility that the man could be his mother's secret lover.

With the man remaining silent and avoiding eye contact, Victor took the initiative to break the silence and asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Nicholas Grey," the man replied, rising to his feet and introducing himself while extending a hand for a handshake.

Victor accepted the handshake without hesitation, unaware of the unexpected turn of events awaiting him. What he anticipated to be a simple handshake quickly transformed into an embrace as the man pulled him closer.

"I'm sorry, I was too late."

Startled by the sudden display of affection, Victor pushed the man away and demanded answers. "What do you think you're doing? Who are you?"

Instead of directly answering Victor's questions, the man retrieved an envelope from his coat pocket and presented it to him. "Here."

Without hesitation, Victor accepted the envelope, but he remained skeptical about the man's intentions. "What's this?"

With a smile, the man replied, "The answer to all your questions."

Victor chose not to inquire further and observed as the man continued to gaze at him. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" the man asked. "Can we offer you a ride home?" he suggested. "It's alright, I can just take the bus," Victor replied, realizing his drenched state and the potential to soil the car. "I'm wet, and I might dirty your car." "No worries, the car can be cleaned," the man assured him. "Well..." Victor hesitated. In the end, Victor decided to follow Nicholas out of the cemetery. Waiting outside was a white Maybach, accompanied by two tall men in black suits who exuded an intimidating presence, unlike those typically seen in the business world.

"Wait, are we riding in that?" Victor paused, taken aback by the sight of the luxurious car and his muddy appearance. He worried about causing a mess if he stepped inside. "Yes, is there a problem?" Nicholas inquired. "Of course, there's a problem. I can't get in looking like this," Victor pointed at his mud-covered trousers and shoes. Nicholas initially didn't comprehend Victor's concern, responding with a simple "And?" "Never mind, let's go," Victor conceded, realizing that his worries were futile. He understood that the wealthy think differently and can easily replace a dirty car with their wealth.

Before entering the car, one of the suited men handed Victor a towel, a gesture that made him feel both grateful and awkward, as it was the first time someone had shown him such courtesy. Once inside the car, Victor remained silent, focusing his attention on the scenery outside. His mind was occupied with thoughts about the envelope's contents and the man seated beside him.

"I wonder what his relationship was with my mother," Victor pondered. He felt a mixture of curiosity and elation, being in such a luxurious car. He never imagined he would have the opportunity to experience such luxury, and he knew his mother would have been equally thrilled.

Victor began to reminisce about the past, recalling his promise to work hard for his mother and provide her with a life of opulence and serenity. However, his plans had crumbled, and it was too late to fulfill them. He felt immense disappointment in himself for being unable to grant his mother an easy life free from the clutches of the old man.

He had always dreamed of purchasing a house where he and his mother could live peacefully, far away from the reach of the old man. Victor envisioned a place where his mother could indulge in her love for gardening and cultivate her favorite flowers. Reflecting on the situation, he remembered that the man beside him had brought his mother's beloved flower.

'How did this man know that my mother liked Iris.'

In the past, when Victor had some extra money, he would often buy a piece of iris for his mother. The sight of her favorite flower brought immense joy to her. Reflecting on this, he realized that the old man, whom he considered his father, had never once gifted his mother a flower. Looking back on his childhood, Victor couldn't recall any instance where his father had expressed such a simple gesture of love.

Upon arriving in his neighborhood, Victor turned to Nicholas and stated, "You don't need to drop me off at my house. Here is fine." "Are you sure?" Nicholas inquired. "Yes, that's fine. Just drop me off here," Victor pointed at a nearby shop, wanting to avoid any prying eyes from his neighbors.

"Stop the car here then," he instructed the driver, and the vehicle came to a halt. Just as Victor was about to exit, Nicholas reached into his pocket once again and pulled out something. "Here, I'll be staying at this hotel."

It was Nicholas' business card, which displayed the address of the hotel where he would be lodging. "Hmm, thank you," Victor expressed his gratitude as he stepped out of the car, which had already been opened by one of Nicholas' men. "Thanks."

The man bowed as he returned to his position at the front of the vehicle.

Before Victor moved forward, he watched as the car disappeared from sight, and he took a moment to look at the card Nicholas had given him.

Upon reaching their apartment, Victor hesitated before stepping inside. Memories flooded his mind, reminding him of how his mother would always be there to greet him when he returned home. However, as he opened the door, the absence of her warm welcome became painfully apparent. The house was in disarray, a reflection of the chaotic events that had transpired since the incident. Yet, Victor found himself indifferent to the state of the place, as he no longer felt a sense of belonging there.

In that moment, he remembered the envelope given to him by Nicholas and retrieved it from his pocket. As he turned it over, he immediately recognized the handwriting on the envelope. It was familiar, evoking a mix of emotions within him.