The opulent office, once a symbol of Lord Vanderlyn’s absolute power, was now stripped bare. The heavy velvet drapes were gone, revealing grime-streaked windows. The ornate desk, usually cluttered with reports and contracts, was empty save for a single, overturned inkwell that stained the polished wood like a fresh wound. Even the air felt thin, depleted of the arrogant certainty that had always permeated it.