Chapter 46 The Unpacking

• The silence after Alexander’s confession was a living thing, breathing the same recycled air we did. There were no grand pronouncements, no tearful reconciliations. There was only the quiet, exhausting work of existing in the same space with the terrifying, uncharted newness of his honesty.
• The following days settled into a strained rhythm. Vance’s team continued their meticulous dismantling of Black Oak, using Alexander’s testimony and the mountain of evidence Vivian had provided as a battering ram. The press conference had done its job; public opinion had solidified, and the political will to prosecute was absolute.
• Alexander’s physical recovery continued under Thorne’s watchful eye. The physical therapy sessions were a daily ordeal. I continued to observe, my presence now a silent, accepted part of the routine. I offered corrections—a adjustment to his posture, a different way to shift his weight—and he accepted them with a quiet, focused gratitude that was still unnerving.