Victor Sullivan's temple throbbed with visible veins. "What do you mean by that?"

Ethan Sullivan's voice was icy. "Exactly what I said. If you can't comprehend it, Director Sullivan, ask your assistant to translate."

Victor shot to his feet. "Speak plainly—who's after Audrey?"

"Your wife's charm hasn't faded over the years. Naturally, she has no shortage of admirers."

Victor rubbed his hands anxiously. "I'm practically driven to drinking pesticide by her! What more does she want? By the way, how did you win Sophia back?"

Ethan chuckled. "Our situations are different. My mistakes were forgivable. Yours..."

"Enough!" Victor's temples pulsed violently. "Adrian was born before marriage—that doesn't count as wrongdoing. As for Willow that time, I was drunk and mistook her for—"

"Save that speech for Mom," Ethan cut him off.

"She won't listen!" Victor tugged at his hair in frustration. "Over twenty years, and she's as stubborn as ever."

Ethan's tone turned meaningful. "There are ways. The question is whether you're willing to humble yourself."

"Like what?"

"Kneeling to beg for forgiveness, perhaps?"

Victor's face darkened. "What a dutiful son you are!"

After hanging up, Victor turned to his assistant. "Have you ever knelt to your wife?"

The assistant's mouth twitched. "...Yes."

"Did it work?"

"Very well."

Victor's eyes lit up. "Order me the freshest tulips for tonight."

As night fell, Victor mechanically endured a business dinner, his mind consumed by rehearsing apologies.

The moment the event ended, he had his driver take him to the florist.

Clutching the bouquet, he called Natalie. "Sweetheart, is your mother home?"

"She's at the apartment. Dad, are you really going to face rejection again?"

Ignoring his daughter's teasing, Victor headed straight for Audrey's place.

The moment he arrived, a downpour began. Rain soaked his suit pants as he stubbornly stood outside, dialing her number. "Audrey, I'm downstairs—"

"Leave!"

"Could you say a few more words?"

"Leave now!"

Victor whined, "The rain's pouring. My pants are drenched."

After a brief silence, the building door clicked open.

Inside, Victor immediately dropped to his knees.

Audrey recoiled. "Victor, have you lost your mind?"

"I was truly drunk back then—"

"Shut up!" Audrey snatched her phone and called Ethan. "Come get your father immediately!"

Ethan, at a cocktail party, laughed lightly. "Mom, give him a chance."

"Never!"

"Your temper..."

"I was born this way!"

Hanging up, Ethan massaged his temples, grateful Sophia hadn't inherited that temperament.

Back at the apartment, Victor pleaded, "Compared to Theodore and his ilk, I'm practically a saint—"

"Tainted is tainted!" Audrey slammed the bedroom door.

Victor's knees ached from kneeling until he finally rose in defeat.

Leaving, his driver cautiously eyed his stormy expression, not daring to breathe.

In the rain, Victor deliberately let himself get soaked when his phone rang.

"Want forgiveness?" Audrey sneered. "When hell freezes over."

Before he could respond, the line went dead.

A week later, Iris Evans arrived at Phoenix Cove with a tall man.

The man kept his hat low, silently opening a safe to reveal a damaged bronze bird statue.

"Can you restore this?"

Sophia pulled on gloves to examine it. "Yes."

The man left a thick stack of cash. "I'll collect it in two weeks."

Once the door closed, Sophia frowned at Iris. "Was that really your brother?"