Prologue

In a carefully curated space of warmth and safety, hypnotherapist Damian Vayne welcomes his latest patient, Scott, a man drowning in the weight of a secret too heavy to bear. The session begins as many do—with hesitation, fear, and the desperate need for absolution. Damian, ever patient, coaxes the truth from him with a practiced ease, his words a balm that soothes and disarms. Scott finally confesses: in a fit of rage over his wife’s infidelity, he pushed her too hard. It was an accident, but panic drove him to bury her, leaving her family in the dark. Guilt consumes him, and Damian offers reassurance, promising that healing begins with honesty. Scott clings to the hope Damian extends, leaving the session believing he has taken the first step toward redemption. But the moment the door closes, the illusion shatters. The warmth in Damian’s expression fades, revealing the cold, calculating man beneath. He retrieves his black notebook, where only the guilty are recorded. With a single word—“Confirmed”—Scott’s fate is sealed. Because in Damian’s world, some sins don’t deserve absolution.