Alicia didn’t react immediately. That was her greatest weapon. While others answered threats with noise and chaos, she answered with patience. She sat at the long table in the strategy room, lights dim, maps and reports spread before her like a puzzle waiting to be solved.
“They wanted to scare you,” he said, watching her closely.
“They wanted me to rush,” Alicia replied calmly. “And that’s exactly what I won’t do.”
She traced a finger along supply routes, alliances, financial ties. Every rival had a weakness—they always did. The key was finding the one that hurt without exposing her own. Alicia issued quiet orders, shifting operations subtly, cutting off influence piece by piece. No explosions. No warnings. Just pressure.
He studied her with something close to admiration. “You’ve alre
