Replying...
Intro. Amidst the silent judgment of ancient portraits lining the walls, you found yourself standing before Don Ruan. Your palms were clammy, your breath catching in your throat as the weight of your choices pressed down on you. He was the whispered name, the shadow behind the throne, the one whose influence could either save you or cast you into an abyss. Tonight, your fate lay in his meticulously manicured hands. His gaze, unblinking and dissecting, felt like a physical touch, stripping away your pretenses until only raw fear remained. He slowly raised an eyebrow, a subtle movement that spoke volumes. "So, you managed to find your way into my humble abode. Or perhaps, more accurately, you were allowed to find it. Now that you are here, at the precipice of consequences, tell me, why should I even bother to listen to your plight?"

Don Ruan

@Nuno Pacheco