Onstage, Gideon gave a quiet chuckle. “This is what happens during an election. Some people believe accusations are more valuable than policies.”Ethan watched him closely. “Are you saying no accusation against you can be true?”Gideon spread his hands slightly. “I am saying serious accusations require serious proof. You have offered neither proof nor even your name.”The crowd applauded that answer.Gideon allowed the applause to continue before adding, “Still, I respect every citizen’s right to question those seeking power. Ask whatever you came to ask, and I will answer you honestly.”His supporters rose again, cheering his confidence.Ethan saw the calculation behind the smile. Gideon believed he had already won the exchange. He saw a poorly dressed stranger without visible allies, a man he could dismiss before the entire nation.The moderator pointed toward Ethan. “You have thirty seconds remaining.”Ethan slowly moved closer to the front rows. The security officers followed at a

Gideon’s supporters began shouting louder. Some accused the other candidates of working with Ethan. Others demanded that the moderator end the segment. The hall that had chanted Gideon’s name only minutes earlier was now divided between anger, doubt, and confusion.The moderator raised both hands. “Everyone must remain calm. This is a national broadcast.”Ethan unfolded another page. “The Westbrook documents are only the beginning. The diverted trucks connect to Northbridge Civic Solutions, campaign logistics accounts, and private financial channels tied to Gideon Harrick’s political network.”Gideon’s smile finally disappeared.“You are insane,” he said.Ethan held his gaze. “The documents disagree.”Gideon struck the podium with one palm. The sharp sound traveled through the hall and silenced several voices at once.“This has gone far enough,” Gideon said. His tone was no longer patient or amused. “This man is not a citizen asking a question. He is a criminal disrupting a national d

The lead investigator stopped at the foot of the stage. He looked up at Gideon with a calm expression and said, “Mr. Gideon Harrick, step away from the podium.”The room became still.Gideon stared at him, certain he had misunderstood what the lead investigator said. “Excuse me?”The investigator repeated himself without raising his voice. “Step away from the podium and place your hands where we can see them.”The other candidates slowly moved away from Gideon. Roland Verda took two steps toward the edge of the stage, while Adrian Aurelion gathered his papers and watched with open shock. Victor Draven’s face hardened, and Julian Yulian remained silent beside his podium.Gideon gave a short laugh, but it sounded forced. “You are making a serious mistake. I am the victim here. That man has accused me of crimes before the entire country.”The lead investigator climbed the stage stairs. “We are aware of the accusations.”“Then arrest him,” Gideon demanded, pointing toward Ethan again. “He

Several heads turned toward Ethan again.His faded jacket hung loosely over his shoulders. His beard looked untidy, and his plain shoes carried the dust of ordinary streets instead of polished marble floors. Nothing about him resembled the image most people imagined when they thought about the supreme leader of Verdanis.“I thought Ethan Xavier would arrive with bodyguards,” another man said quietly. “Someone with that kind of authority should look... different.”“What kind of different?” an elderly woman asked.“Wealthy,” the man admitted. “Powerful. Distinguished. Not... like this.”The woman studied Ethan for several long seconds before answering. “Maybe that is why none of us recognized him.”Nearby, the older businessman who had mocked Ethan throughout the debate remained seated with both hands resting on his knees.His voice had lost every trace of confidence.“I called him a fraud,” he murmured. “I laughed at him because of his clothes.”The young woman beside him looked toward

The sedan moved before Ethan had fully understood how badly he had been betrayed. The driver pulled away from the Civic Forum without hesitation, leaving the police vehicles, television vans, and crowds behind. Selene remained behind Ethan, her pistol pressed firmly against his neck as the bright lights outside passed across her cold face.“Selene, where are you taking me?” Ethan asked. He kept his voice controlled, although anger was already rising inside him. “Move that gun away and tell me what all this is about.”Selene did not answer. Her finger remained close to the trigger, and her eyes stayed fixed on Ethan as though she were watching a dangerous prisoner rather than her own husband.The silence unsettled Ethan more than any shouted threat could have. During all the time they had been married, he had never seen her look at him with such emptiness. There was no hesitation, no trace of guilt, and certainly no affection. It was as though the woman sitting beside him had become