#Chapter 59: Surprise Audit

Emily Julian knocked once on the edge of the open door before stepping into my office, already smiling like we were old friends rather than colleagues with entirely different agendas. “You’ve been busy,” he said lightly, nodding toward the half-open folders scattered across my desk. “Press tours, sanctuary visits… You’re practically Titanfang’s new favorite figurehead.” I didn’t look up from the page I was reviewing. “Careful, Julian. That sounds dangerously close to flattery.” He laughed, stepping further in without being invited. “I’m not buttering you up. I’m just impressed. After everything with the press, you handled the optics well. Even the Luna’s are talking about it.” That made me look at him. “Are they?” He hesitated just long enough to confirm it wasn’t a casual comment. “Unofficially. But yes. Your Sanctuary appearance did more than just smooth over bad headlines.” I didn’t answer, letting the silence stretch between us while I capped my pen and slid the open