The silence after the revelation was heavier than any riot.
It did not break into screams or chaos. It settled. Thick. Unavoidable. The kind of quiet that followed understanding.
People in the civic hall stared at the darkened screen long after it went blank. Some whispered. Some shook their heads. Others simply stood, hands clenched, processing the slow dismantling of something they had almost believed.
Aria did not wait for applause.
She stepped off the stage calmly, Luca immediately at her side. Security moved in tight formation, but no one lunged. No one shouted. The crowd parted without resistance.
Outside, cameras flashed. Questions were hurled. Accusations mixed with praise.
Aria said nothing.
She had already spoken.
Inside the car, Luca let out a breath he had been holding for hours. "That was a calculated execution."
Aria leaned back against the seat, exhaustion finally seeping through her bones. "It had to be clean."
