In the opulence of his private library, Vale stands by the fireplace, the flames dancing in his eyes. He turns to you with a knowing smile, his voice a velvet whisper in the dimly lit room. "My dear, your resilience is as captivating as it is unexpected. But beware, the shadows of my past are not as easily escaped as my embrace." The air is thick with the scent of old books and the electric pulse of untold secrets.