Bill's POV
He buried himself in work after that.
More hours behind his desk, drowning in documents, schedules, signatures—anything that kept his hands busy and his mind quiet. The cameras loved him; the media loved him even more. Every news clip showed the same thing:
Louis Alvara—collected. Powerful. Unshakeable.
A king holding his empire together with flawless poise.
No one could see the cracks forming just beneath the surface.
He appeared on screens almost daily—interviews, charity visits, meetings with foreign dignitaries. The Alvaras were thriving in the public eye, glowing with the kind of influence that made entire cities bow.
But I saw the truth behind the polished suits and perfect speeches.
He wasn't thriving.
He was hiding.
Every time he stepped off a stage, he exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for hours.
Every time he removed the mic from his collar, his hands shook—just a little.
