The war room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence as the lieutenant’s words hung in the air. Aria’s heart hammered against her ribs as she stared at Sofia, the woman she had trusted with her life, her training, and her deepest vulnerabilities. The recording of Sofia’s voice calling her “the weakest link” still echoed in her mind, mixing with the new accusation that Sofia had been willingly working with the consortium from the beginning.
“Play the video,” Dante ordered, his voice like steel. His hand remained possessively on Aria’s waist, anchoring her as the screen flickered to life.
The footage showed Sofia in a dimly lit room, speaking calmly to a consortium representative. “Aria is the key. If we remove her, Dante loses his foundation. The empire will crumble from within.” Sofia’s f
