A knock on the door broke the comfortable silence between the two men who were quietly having tea."I'll get the door," the butler said, walking towards the door. He opened it slightly and muttered a few words to the person outside before looking back and saying, "He's saying that he came with your guest, sir."The older man, to whom the butler had spoken, turned to the younger man seated across from him. "Is he the little friend you spoke about?" he asked the younger man, wearing a teasing smile.Bridges, the younger man, raised the cup of tea to his lips, taking in its herbal aroma and feeling its warmth against his skin.In response to the old man, he replied nonchalantly, "He's the one."The old man chuckled and instructed the butler to admit the visitor. "Let him in; he's the one.”The butler nodded and opened the door wider to reveal a young guy standing in the doorway, drenched from the downpour outside. His damp clothes clung to his body and his dark hair was matted to his for

"Come, take a seat, young man," the old man said, motioning to Ivan, who had been standing by the side, watching the conversation.Ivan hesitated for a moment, but then walked over and sat down in the empty chair next to Bridges. The old man smiled at him, and Ivan felt a sense of calm wash over him."It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Ivan said, bowing his head slightly in respect.The old man chuckled. "No need for formalities here," he said. “What's your own story?” He asked Ivan.Ivan took a deep breath and began to speak. "I grew up in a small village on the outskirts of London," he said. "My father was a farmer, and my mother worked at the local market. We were not rich, but we were content."He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "When I was a young boy, my father was injured in an accident on the farm. He could no longer work, and our family fell on hard times. It was a difficult time, and my dad died making everything wo