The envelope sat on Damien’s desk, thick and ominous, stamped with the federal seal. It was the kind of correspondence that carried weight, not just in paper, but in implication. He didn’t need to open it to know what it was.
The subpoena had been coming for weeks. Vincent Mercer’s coordinated legal assault was beginning to take on a new shape, more than hostile takeovers and silent boardroom warfare. This was a strategic pivot. Public, aggressive, and meant to destabilize Sinclair Media from the inside out.
Damien stared at the letter without moving. The silence in his office was absolute, save for the low hum of the air conditioning. Celeste stepped in quietly, her heels soft against the marble floor.
“You got it,” she said gently, reading his expression. “The subpoena.”
He nodded o
