JIMMIE POV
It’s been a long day… and it has barely even begun.
The air backstage was thick not with tension, not with anxiety, but with something heavier. Something harder to name. I stood at the far edge of the podium curtain, just out of view, as Eleanor’s voice carried across the massive conference hall. Her words rose, vibrant and full of purpose, echoing off high ceilings and bouncing across a thousand eager faces.
Grim’s Mound Foundation. One of the largest NGOs in all of Astria, a global name with a powerful mission. And there she was, Eleanor James, the First Lady of Astria, my boss… and the wife of the man who kissed me last night.
She stood tall. Poised. The picture of elegance. Her voice didn’t falter once as she addressed the crowd, talking about opportunity, belonging, and
