Marcus stood in the doorway, the corridor full of gold-eyed ghosts, and felt the weight of a thousand stares press against his ribs like a physical thing. Behind him, Zhang Li's breath rattled—the sound of a man who'd been king for sixty years and was now suddenly, violently, subject. Claire's voice came again through the phone, layered and strange: "Daddy, I'm hungry too." The words landed like a stone in still water. Marcus's System flickered, weak and confused: [ARCHITECT STATUS—SCATTERED—MULTIPLE HOSTS DETECTED—CLAIRE CHEN-LEYTON: 47% INTEGRATION]. She was becoming the **menu** instead of the **dessert**. Zhang Li pushed past him, his old-man shuffle now a broken stagger, and the gold-eyed figures in the corridor parted like fog. "They’re not here for me," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the hum of fluorescent lights. "They’re here for the **ledger**. You broke it. You bought it." Marcus caught his arm, felt the bones thin as kindling. "Bought what?" "

Marcus stood in the doorway, the corridor full of gold-eyed ghosts, and felt the weight of a thousand stares press against his ribs like a physical thing. Behind him, Zhang Li's breath rattled—the sound of a man who'd been king for sixty years and was now suddenly, violently, subject. Claire's voice came again through the phone, layered and strange: "Daddy, I'm hungry too." The words landed like a stone in still water. Marcus's System flickered, weak and confused: [ARCHITECT STATUS—SCATTERED—MULTIPLE HOSTS DETECTED—CLAIRE CHEN-LEYTON: 47% INTEGRATION]. She was becoming the **menu** instead of the **dessert**. Zhang Li pushed past him, his old-man shuffle now a broken stagger, and the gold-eyed figures in the corridor parted like fog. "They’re not here for me," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the hum of fluorescent lights. "They’re here for the **ledger**. You broke it. You bought it." Marcus caught his arm, felt the bones thin as kindling. "Bought what?" "

Marcus stood in the doorway, the corridor full of gold-eyed ghosts, and felt the weight of a thousand stares press against his ribs like a physical thing. Behind him, Zhang Li's breath rattled—the sound of a man who'd been king for sixty years and was now suddenly, violently, subject. Claire's voice came again through the phone, layered and strange: "Daddy, I'm hungry too." The words landed like a stone in still water. Marcus's System flickered, weak and confused: [ARCHITECT STATUS—SCATTERED—MULTIPLE HOSTS DETECTED—CLAIRE CHEN-LEYTON: 47% INTEGRATION]. She was becoming the **menu** instead of the **dessert**. Zhang Li pushed past him, his old-man shuffle now a broken stagger, and the gold-eyed figures in the corridor parted like fog. "They’re not here for me," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the hum of fluorescent lights. "They’re here for the **ledger**. You broke it. You bought it." Marcus caught his arm, felt the bones thin as kindling. "Bought what?" "

Marcus stood in the doorway, the corridor full of gold-eyed ghosts, and felt the weight of a thousand stares press against his ribs like a physical thing. Behind him, Zhang Li's breath rattled—the sound of a man who'd been king for sixty years and was now suddenly, violently, subject. Claire's voice came again through the phone, layered and strange: "Daddy, I'm hungry too." The words landed like a stone in still water. Marcus's System flickered, weak and confused: [ARCHITECT STATUS—SCATTERED—MULTIPLE HOSTS DETECTED—CLAIRE CHEN-LEYTON: 47% INTEGRATION]. She was becoming the **menu** instead of the **dessert**. Zhang Li pushed past him, his old-man shuffle now a broken stagger, and the gold-eyed figures in the corridor parted like fog. "They’re not here for me," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the hum of fluorescent lights. "They’re here for the **ledger**. You broke it. You bought it." Marcus caught his arm, felt the bones thin as kindling. "Bought what?" "

"Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her.""She's waiving her anonymity. Going public.""Yes."That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment."Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend.""And if she sees them?""She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks."The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.**There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck.The irony wasn't lost on him.His phone ra