Ava’s POV:
The room doesn’t breathe.
That’s the first thing I notice. Not the tension, not the fear, not even Julian standing there like a fault line splitting the space open. It’s the stillness. Every sound has been swallowed. Every movement paused mid intention.
Daniel Cross recovers first.
He always does.
“Mr. Hart,” he says calmly. “This does not concern you.”
Julian’s eyes never leave mine. “Everything that happens to her concerns me.”
The hands on my arms tighten slightly. Not enough to hurt. Enough to remind me they exist.
Daniel turns toward Julian at last. “She is Mrs. Blackwell. She is involved in an active federal inquiry.”
Julian takes another step forward. The crowd parts without being asked. Power does that. It clears space before it needs to.
“She is a private citi
