As the live broadcast beamed across networks, Evelyn stood poised between Adrian and Noah, both men commanding attention in their tailored suits.
The media expected unity.
What they got… was war in slow motion.
⸻
The host smiled stiffly. "Miss Hart, would you like to start with your statement about the partnership?"
Evelyn took a breath, eyes locked on the teleprompter—but then she looked directly at the cameras instead.
"No script," she said calmly.
A ripple of surprise spread across the room.
She continued, "This is not a partnership built on convenience or image. It's built on power. Influence. And truthfully—on the fact that neither of these men could stop circling me long enough to focus on anything else."
Gasps.
Adrian tilted his head with amusement.
Noah's jaw clenched.
⸻
She added, "So if the world wants a spectacle… let's not pretend. Let's give them one."
Adrian leaned in, mic live. "You want honesty? I'm not here for tech expansion. I'm here for Evelyn."
Noah stepped forward. "You think you're the only one? You might hack firewalls, Adrian—but you can't hack history."
Cameras exploded with flashes.
Evelyn held up a hand, silencing them both.
"Then let me clarify," she said, her voice a blade. "I don't belong to either of you. If this empire is going to rise, it will rise with me at the center. Not beside me. Not in front. But behind. Supporting."
⸻
Silence.
The broadcast ended on a still frame of Evelyn walking away from both men, heels clicking on polished marble, head held higher than ever.
That clip would go viral in under an hour.
⸻
Backstage, Adrian chuckled. "You really know how to hijack a global feed."
Noah didn't speak. His eyes weren't angry—they were calculating.
The game had changed.
And the queen just claimed her board.