Sever/s' voice was low, dripping with disdain. "I expected foolishness from you," he began, his eyes narrowing as he studied Mattheo. "But even I did not foresee the extent of your determination to hasten your own downfall."

Mattheo tilted his head slightly. "So much effort... And yet, I’m still here. Must be disappointing for you."

Sever/s' lips curled into a cruel smile. "Your continued existence is not disappointing. After all, cockroaches have a way of surviving, no matter how many times they are meant to be crushed."

"Keep pushing, Professor," Mattheo replied coolly. "See what happens."

Sever/s' expression hardened. "You have no right to breathe… not after what you’ve done. This child should never have been conceived... Something that was never meant to exist. There is only one way to set it on the right path, and that can only happen if you are no longer here."

Mattheo's eyes flashed with defiance. "Did you come here to make threats or are you finally ready to act on them?"

Tom smirked. "For someone so determined to eliminate a threat, you seem hesitant." His gaze shifted between Sever/s and Mattheo. "Could it be that you are afraid that, perhaps, you might be wrong?"

Sever/s' jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing at Tom's words. "You think yourself clever, Tom, but you aren't. I will not allow him to ruin this child."

Tom's laughter was quiet, almost mocking. "What if, by k/IIing him, you are only dooming them both? What if you are the one creating the very thing you seek to prevent?"

"Watch your words." Sever/s' voice was like a low growl.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Whether you accept it or not, the child has already been conceived, and Mattheo is the key to its fate. Remove him, and you remove the only chance of controlling it."

Sever/s stared at Tom, before his attention returned to Mattheo, his words deliberate. "Foolishness always comes at a cost. The only question is… Who will pay the price first?"

With that, Sever/s turned, his robes swishing behind him as he left.