"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'

"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'

"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'

"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'

"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'