Chapter 59: HUNCH
[Christopher - Central Region, Late Evening]
The room was quiet — not the peaceful kind, but the kind that felt heavy, like the walls were listening. In his left hand, Christopher held a photograph. It was wrinkled, the edges worn, but the image was clear. It was a photo of Queen Loraine and William Stride, taken inside William’s private office.
The two weren’t just standing beside each other.
William’s hand rested lightly on Loraine’s back, her face tilted just slightly toward him, a smile softer than politics would allow. It was subtle — not obvious to the untrained eye — but to Christopher, it was as clear as blood on marble.
> "This... doesn’t look like a worker and a Queen," he muttered, coldly.
He stared at it again. If there was anyone who could’ve made moves behind the scenes without suspicion, it was them. Loraine — now in control of the Western Region. And William — the Head of the Army, and the father of the newly risen noble "Evren Stride."
And yet... it wasn’t proof.
Just a hunch.
But Christopher had learned that hunches weren’t always wrong.
He stood up slowly, the chair creaking beneath him. The photo crumpled slightly in his hand.
> "Maybe he was involved. Maybe not. But... he’s the only thread I have."