Julian's POV
Now that Richard was back at home, the compulsory dining table moment was back too. Richard sat at the head of the table, not looking like a man who had spent the evening screaming at his family; me to be precise. He looked like a king preparing to move his chess pieces.
Lisa sat to his right, her posture unnaturally stiff. She looked like a doll made of glass with plenty of makeup on her face. Catherine sat across from her, her eyes fixed on her empty plate. She didn't look at me as I took my seat next to my Gabriel.
Gabriel gave me a quick, sideways glance. He looked tired, his eyes shadowed with the same exhaustion we all felt.
"Now that we are all present," Richard began, with a smooth and resonant voice, "we can discuss the path forward. The scandal with the photos was a clumsy attempt by our enemies to derail the campaign. However, in politics, a crisis is merely an opportunity dressed in rags."
