Arthur's brow furrowed deeply, a storm brewing in his mind. "That's impossible. The Campbells wouldn't back down after losing Christopher. And the Consortium? They don't retreat."
"They did when the order came from the Whitmore Family," Evolon replied, his voice steady.
The name struck Arthur like a punch to the gut.
His breath caught in his throat, fingers tightening around the armrests of his chair as if they were the only thing keeping him grounded.
For a moment, he was frozen, staring at Evolon's projection as if it had just delivered a death sentence.
The Whitmore Family.
They were the true puppeteers behind the Aurelian Federation, the shadowy figures who manipulated governments, corporations, and even powerful families like the Campbells.
To them, the Osborns were mere specks of dust, insignificant and easily overlooked.
Arthur exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Tell me everything."
Evolon displayed a decrypted transmission:
