Evelyn stared down at the old, faded black-and-white photograph in Julian's hands, her breath catching in her throat.

"Your father had an elder brother?" Evelyn asked softly, her voice trembling in the quiet room.

Julian stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window of his private study. Outside, gray clouds heavy with rain hovered over the city skyline, casting long, dark shadows across the polished floor. He looked down at the old photo, his large thumbs gently tracing the rough edges of the paper.

"My father never spoke about him," Julian said, his deep voice heavy with dark, ancient secrets. "His name was Marcus Vance. He was the eldest son, the one...