On the top floor of the Alvarez mansion, the silence was sharp enough to cut through glass.
No one spoke as the final moments of Logan Mercer's broadcast faded from the screen.
They expected Logan to retaliate after being silent for so long… just not this cleanly or this publicly.
"Spinning the narrative will be difficult from here," Daniel said, voice heavy.
As the head of the Alvarez family, he'd approved the smear campaign, convinced the boy would crack under public pressure.
He never expected it to backfire this badly.
'I thought the Logan kid would cling to his reputation like he did in the university,' Daniel thought, clenching his fist. 'I underestimated him because of his age.'
His jaw tightened as his thoughts drifted to his youngest son, Derek.
He wasn't the most capable, not even close, but Daniel had still trusted and believed in him.
Because no matter how flawed he was… he was still his son.
And now?
He was dead. Cremated to ash.
