Xavier’s POV

Power doesn’t collapse in silence.

Power doesn’t care about truth. It screams, It claws, It takes people down with it.

It only cares about perception and the man who controls the narrative wins the war.

And tonight, I could hear the cracks spreading.

The call came when I was half-buried in reports. Daphne’s name lit up my screen. For a moment, I just stared at it, my chest tightening, She never called this late unless it mattered.

I picked up on the second ring. ...