"Oh, Ren. You of all people should know that nothing truly stays 'closed' these days."
He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve before continuing.
"I'm sure you were shocked by how he justified the actions Alister plans to take. Weren't you?"
He took another step forward. "How easily he spoke of sacrifice… of necessity… like it was inevitable. Using Alister's pain to justify his upcoming actions."
Ren didn't answer—he didn't need to.
The man's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Aren't you the least bit curious why the man you admired most would agree to support a plan that terrifies you?"
Ren's jaw clenched. "That's none of your business."
"Perhaps not," the man allowed. "But you should be asking yourself… how I know it."
He gave a wry smile.
"Ever wondered about the Li family?"
Ren blinked. "What?"
