No one was outside. Not Edmund, Julian or George.
The hallway was deserted. Edmund had most likely taken the other two men away, maybe they were inside one of the rooms nearby.
But he did not care.
'It's over.'
He sighed inwardly, feeling the heavy boulder in his heart vanish into nothingness. He felt some kind of void, but the discomfort gradually eased away.
Once Ruediger stepped out of the private dining room, he noticed how different the atmosphere was. There was no longer the heavy air of confrontation, only the cool and calmness of this fine dining restaurant.
Polished marble reflected the soft, golden lighting above, and the echo of distant jazz rang gently through the hallway. The faint chattering of the patrons was drowned under the music.
Ruediger exhaled again. His jaw relaxed and his steps slowed.
For the first time in years, he didn't sense the oppressive air of frustration that he usually felt whenever he faced his estranged father.
