Nathan’s POV

The tension in the council chamber thickened until even the air felt heavy, sharp with unspoken warnings and quiet rage. I sat back, observing Jackson as he leaned into his chair, every movement of his deliberate, calculated. He was too calm, too composed for a man who stood on the edge of ruin.

Darion, the eldest councilman, fixed his cold, steely eyes on him. “Jackson,” he began, his tone formal but edged with disbelief, “do you have any idea what you’re saying and ...