Fear proved to be a sharper motivator than any reasoning we could muster. The air in the meeting hall grew thick with an icy dread, pressing down on everyone until the truth became undeniable: we alone held the key to what they desired most—survival.

Some still clung to their bitterness, even if it meant risking their families' lives. The hall echoed with muttered insults and curses. I could feel Stefano’s patience fraying, his simmering desire to silence those who defied us. Mine was ...