My father had been eliminated.
The weight of the word settled deep in my chest, pressing down until I could barely breathe.
William’s grip on my hand was tight, it was grounding. But even that wasn’t enough to stop the storm raging inside me.
Edward Carter’s office suddenly felt too small, too suffocating. I wanted to scream, to demand more answers, but I could already see it in his expression. He had given us all he was willing to.
Not enough.
Not nearly enough.
My voice was steadier than I felt. “Who gave the order?”
Edward studied me, his face unreadable. “Does it matter?”
William took a sharp step forward. “Yes.”
Edward’s gaze flickered to his son, and for the first time, something in his expression cracked. He looked… tired.
“You think you want the truth,” he murmured. “But
