[Carter’s pov]Waiting has never been my strength.In business, waiting means someone else is making a move. In war, it means you’re already a step behind. And in life if there’s one thing I’ve learned it means something is about to go wrong.I stood in Olivia’s cabin, hands braced on the edge of her desk, staring at nothing. She had gone for her regular rounds.The room still carried her presence subtle, familiar. A faint trace of her perfume lingered in the air, grounding and distracting all at once. For a moment, I let myself focus on that instead of everything else. The truth was waiting somewhere down a corridor I couldn’t see.I exhaled slowly, forcing my thoughts into order. Homer had everything under control. He said so himself.Discreet. Contained.No room for mistakes.Still—Something didn’t sit right.I pushed off the desk, pacing once, twice, the quiet ticking of the clock on the wall growing louder with every step.Too quiet.Too still.The door opened.I turned immedi
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