Henrik's mouth closed.
"He's a great fighter." She exhaled through her nose. "But since the Maximilian Vice fiasco, it's been clear that he's an even greater manipulator of the narrative. That video wasn't made by three crying women but by someone who knows exactly how the public reacts and built every frame to trigger it. We cannot make hasty mistakes here. That is precisely what he wants."
The New Dawn calls were still coming in. Three artifacts lined up on the table, screens lighting up in rotation, none of them answered.
"Get me Delphine, the legal team, and the Association liaison," she said. "Now."
Henrik reached for his artifact with fingers that fumbled the gesture. Two New Dawn missed calls sat on his screen. He swiped past them.
…
The recording studio was quiet except for the sound of Brittany crying.
