Chapter 21

In stark contrast to the bright splendor of Perona, a chilly atmosphere seemed to shroud a secluded and highly luxurious wellness center in Sandrina all year round. Andrew lived in a lakeside villa there. The place was breathtakingly beautiful, yet so empty it could make a person feel suffocated. Ever since leaving the Freye continent, he had been living here, year after year. Others thought he was stepping away from the limelight after having achieved great success to enjoy the rest of his life. Only he knew that this was a form of self-imposed exile, one that would last indefinitely. He had grown exceedingly reticent, sometimes going an entire day without uttering more than a couple of words. More and more gray hairs sprouted across his head, and the weary dullness in his eyes never faded. Andrew would sit by the lake for hours, staring at the chilly water, his gaze vacant. It was impossible to tell what was on his mind. He always had a finance magazine behind him. Now and then