The meeting room was filled with the country’s most powerful military leaders—men who commanded armies, fleets, and squadrons. Yet, Adeline’s thoughts were far from national security.

  She sat at the head of the long oak table, her manicured fingers ced together, her expression unreadable. The discussion buzzed around her, but her mind was stuck on the video.

  Tess. In Nick’s car. With him.

  Last night, she had waited. Had set everything up, had cleared her entire schedule for something as simple as a moment together despite the distance.

  Instead, she had received that video.

  This morning, just before leaving for this meeting, Martin had handed her the full report on Nichos Reed—his past retionship with her, his work history, his frequent visits to Tess whenever he was in town.

  A voice broke through her thoughts.

  “Madam President?”

  Adeline blinked and turned her gaze toward the speaker. It was General William Harrington, the seasoned head of the Marines. He was watching her with mild concern.

  Realising the room was waiting for her, Adeline forced a small smile, straightening in her chair.

  “I apologise, gentlemen,” she said smoothly, “I woke up with a terrible headache this morning. Please be patient with me.”

  A few worried gnces were exchanged.

  “Would you like me to call for a doctor, ma’am?” General Elias Carter, the Army Forces Commander, asked with a frown.

  Across the room, Martin watched as these hardened military leaders softened in concern for their president. None of them knew the real reason for her distraction.

  Only he did.

  Martin gave a small, weary smile but said nothing, keeping Adeline’s secrets safe for now.

  The phone buzzed softly in Martin’s hand. He gnced down at the screen and, without a word, turned it toward Adeline.

  Her heart shuddered.

  Tess.

  Adeline kept her face neutral, though her grip on the table tightened. Now? After everything? After ignoring her all night?

  She wanted to demand an expnation, to ask why, but she couldn’t. Not here. Not in a room filled with the highest-ranking military officials in the country.

  She exhaled through her nose, took the phone from Martin, and brought it to her ear.

  “I’ll contact you ter,” she said, her voice measured and cool.

  There was a brief pause before Tess awkwardly replied, “Oh… okay.”

  Adeline ended the call without another word, handing the phone back to Martin.

  The room was silent. Too silent.

  General Harrington studied her carefully, while General Carter still looked concerned.

  Martin cleared his throat. “A personal matter, gentlemen. Let’s continue.”

  Adeline nodded, regaining her composure. “Yes. Where were we?”

  And just like that, she buried the storm raging inside her.

  General Harrington cleared his throat, drawing the room’s attention back to him. His stern expression matched the urgency in his voice.

  “Madam President, we have a situation that requires immediate action. Ships from the Kingdom of Velmora have been spotted entering our waters. Satellite imagery confirms this isn’t a mistake or simple passage, this is a calcuted move. If we do nothing, other nations will see it as weakness.”

  General Carter, the head of the Army, leaned forward, his deep voice gruff with concern. “If we let Velmora get away with this, what’s stopping other nations from testing our borders? We must act decisively, or we’ll be seen as fools.”

  Adeline folded her hands, her expression unreadable. She processed the information, her mind clicking through the options. Diplomacy? No, too slow. Sanctions? A warning? Would they listen?

  No. A show of force was needed.

  Her decision was firm when she spoke. “I will personally go to the marine base and suit up for battle. Velmora will learn that we do not tolerate viotions of our sovereignty.”

  The room erupted in appuse. The generals and commanders exchanged approving nods, some even murmuring about her bravery and how she was unlike any leader before her.

  But Martin? He wasn’t cpping.

  He sat still, fingers ced together, his expression tight with barely concealed concern. As the appuse died down, he leaned toward her and spoke low enough for only her to hear.

  “Adeline… This isn’t like you.”

  She arched an eyebrow at him, but he didn’t let up.

  “You don’t make rash decisions like this. You’re careful. You think five steps ahead. But right now? This feels personal.”****"

  Adeline’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t deny it.

  Martin exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “You’re deeply in love with Tess, and whether you realise it or not, you’re acting out because of her. You’re trying to distract yourself.”

  Her eyes fshed, but Martin wasn’t backing down.

  “You can still handle this as Commander-in-Chief, but throwing yourself into battle isn’t the way to do it. If something happens to you, it won’t just be Tess who loses you—it will be this entire country.”

  The weight of his words settled between them. The room buzzed with conversation, but in this moment, it was just them.

  Would she listen?

  Adeline sat back in her chair, fingers drumming lightly against the table as she thought over Martin’s words. He had a point—she wasn’t the type to act on impulse, but it was already too te to take her words back. Backing down now would show weakness.

  No, this wasn’t just about Tess. This was about her dominance.

  Her people needed to see their leader wasn’t just one to issue orders from behind a desk. The world needed to remember she wasn’t one to be tested.

  And Tess… Tess was far from her grasp, slipping through her fingers. This was the only way she could remind herself and everyone else that she was still in control.

  She exhaled through her nose, a small smirk tugging at her lips as she looked at Martin.

  “Have a little faith in me.” Her voice was smooth, confident. Then, with a teasing glint in her eyes, she added, “Besides, you’ll be coming with me. And shouldn’t you be happy? We’ll be seeing your man at the marine base.”

  Martin stiffened. His eyes darted away, a flush creeping up his neck.

  “That’s not the point,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

  Adeline chuckled, watching him struggle to keep his composure. It was adorable, really.

  It had been months since Martin had seen Caleb. No doubt, the thought of reuniting with him sent a spark of excitement through him, no matter how hard he tried to downpy it.

  She leaned back, amused. “Admit it, Martin. You’re excited.”

  He cleared his throat, gring at her. “I’m worried about you, Madam President. That’s what I’m focused on.”

  But she could see the way his ears burned. He was terrible at hiding his feelings.

  Adeline simply smiled. “Good. Then focus on keeping me safe.”

  With that, she stood, signaling that the meeting was over. The next time they sat at this table, she would have returned victorious.