The air in the control room was cold, a manufactured chill designed to keep the banks of electronics from overheating. It did little to cool the fire in my veins. On a mosaic of two dozen screens, I watched Julian take his place at the podium. He adjusted his tie, a familiar gesture of self-assurance. He shared a laugh with the moderator, radiating a charisma that had once captivated me and now turned my stomach. He was a portrait of a man without a single care in the world, a man who believed he was untouchable.
Through my headset, I could hear the faint, steady rhythm of Arthur’s breathing. He was on stage, opposite Julian, a picture of calm focus.
“Sound check, Olivia,” his voice murmured in my ear, a private channel in the sea of public noise.
“Loud and clear,” I replied, my eyes sc
