Chapter 445: Breaking News

Ethan Carter – Watching the Pieces Fall

I stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window of my private quarters, the glow of the television screen casting flickering shadows across the room.

The news anchor's voice was crisp, controlled—but beneath it, the world was unraveling.

"Breaking news: The unexpected return of Emperor Christopher Blackwood has sent shockwaves across the nation and beyond. Reports confirm that the former ruler, presumed dead for the past decade, has reclaimed his throne in a dramatic turn of events at the national remembrance ceremony."

The screen cut to footage of Chris, standing at the head of the grand hall, his presence alone silencing the crowd.

His voice was steady. Absolute. Unquestionable.

"My throne was never taken. It was simply warmed in my absence."

I smirked. The world was scrambling.

Political analysts were debating what this meant for global relations. Economists were speculating on market shifts. The opposition parties? Scrambling to find their footing.

And Skylar?

The cameras had captured her reaction—a flicker of shock before she masked it with a regal glare.

She had ordered his arrest. It had failed.

Now?

She was forced to recognize what had always been true. Chris was never gone. He was only waiting.

I sipped my drink as the news continued, my phone vibrating with updates. Reports. Reactions. Shifting alliances.

This wasn't just a return.

It was a reckoning.

And I had the best seat in the house.