CHAPTER 88 — THE ENEMY THAT DOES NOT ANNOUNCE ITSELF
The danger did not arrive with noise.
That was what unsettled Elena most.
There were no threats, no dramatic escalations, no public retaliation to point at and name. Instead, the world around her shifted by degrees so small they could almost be dismissed—almost.
Almost was never safe.
She noticed it first in the way meetings were postponed without explanation. Then in how certain long-standing partners suddenly required additional approvals, additional reviews, additional layers of caution that had never existed before. Nothing overt. Nothing illegal.
Just resistance.
By mid-morning, the Kane mansion had returned to a state of tense normalcy, but Elena could feel the strain beneath it. Staff moved efficiently, professionally, yet every interaction felt measured. Everyone was listening more than they spoke.
She stood by the window of Adrian's office, arms folded loosely, watching clouds drift low across the city skyline.
