The General’s lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smirk, the only visible crack in his carefully maintained facade.
He leaned back in his chair, composed and almost amused, as if daring anyone to challenge him.
Outside the courthouse, the world seemed to tilt off-kilter.
News crews swarmed like vultures, politicians whispered behind tightly closed doors, and the streets buzzed with fractured loyalties and shifting alliances.
Everything was changing.
***
Meanwhile, Cain stood alone on the rooftop of the Zenith Tower, the tallest building in Esvale, overlooking the seething city. A lone wolf silhouetted against the stormy sky.
The wind whipped around him, carrying the scent of rain and exhaust.
He took a long drag from his cigar, the cherry glowing like an ember in the gath
