New York woke up differently.
Not louder.Not quieter.
Sharper.
The headlines weren't speculative anymore.
They were definitive.
VICTOR HALE ARRESTED — FEDERAL FRAUD, OBSTRUCTION, WITNESS TAMPERING
Ace Charles read the news once, then closed the feed.
He didn't need repetition.
Citywide Fallout
Boardrooms across Manhattan were in emergency session.
Deals were paused.Phones rang unanswered.Lawyers recalculated their clients' exposure.
Pearson Specter Litt stood at the center of it all—untouched.
Louis Litt paced the conference room like a caged animal.
"I've never seen anything like this," Louis said. "Everyone's calling. Firms, banks, regulators."
Harvey Specter leaned against the table, smirking faintly.
"They're trying to figure out who's safe."
Ace entered quietly.
"They're trying to figure out who's in charge," he corrected.
Fight #902Opponent: Post-war instabilityStatus: Stabilized
Jessica's Announcement
Jessica Pearson called a firm-wide meeting.
Every associate.Every partner.Standing room only.
She stood at the front, calm and composed.
"This firm has survived extraordinary pressure," Jessica said. "Because it adapted."
Her gaze shifted—to Ace.
"Effective immediately," she continued, "strategic authority will be centralized."
The room held its breath.
"Ace Charles will oversee firm-wide operations."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
Ace didn't react.
He already carried the weight.
Fight #915Opponent: Organizational shockStatus: Absorbed
Private Words
Later, alone in Jessica's office.
"You didn't ask for this," Jessica said.
Ace met her gaze. "I prepared for it."
Jessica smiled faintly. "That's worse."
She slid a folder across the desk.
Partnership agreements.Authority clauses.Control mechanisms.
"You're not replacing me," she said. "You're succeeding me."
Ace nodded once.
Fight #928Opponent: Legacy burdenStatus: Accepted
Victor Hale's World Shrinks
Hale sat in a holding room, stripped of polish and power.
No phone.No entourage.No leverage.
His lawyer spoke softly. "They're offering a deal."
Hale laughed once—short and hollow.
"What did Charles say?" Hale asked.
The lawyer hesitated. "He didn't comment."
Hale closed his eyes.
That hurt more