Silence was never empty.
It was crowded with anticipation, weighted with choices that could no longer be postponed.
Lucien arrived at the office earlier than usual, the city still half-asleep as his car pulled to the curb. The building loomed above him—glass and steel, once a symbol of certainty. Today, it felt like a courtroom waiting for a verdict.
He stepped inside without hesitation.
The lobby staff greeted him carefully, voices respectful but measured. No warmth. No hostility. Just observation.
They were watching history decide where to place its weight.
Upstairs, the boardroom lights were already on.
That alone told him everything.
Jonathan was inside.
Lucien paused briefly outside the doors, straightening his jacket. Not to prepare for battle—he had done that long ago—but t
