Chapter 41. Echoes of Choice

Harper entered the Council chamber just before sunrise, the ribbon resting loosely around her wrist like a whisper rather than a command. Not bound. Not hidden. Worn as memory, as signal, as choice. Morning light streaked gold across the conference table, turning the glass walls into veils of light. Her heels were the only sound as she crossed to her seat at the head.

Knox walked beside her, silent but certain. His presence didn’t precede her—it shadowed her with reverence, not possession. They were no longer proving anything to each other. Only choosing.

The room buzzed with post-rollout energy. The Transparency Continuum was live, investor metrics glowing green, new security protocols transmitting across continents. Lilah and Arthur exchanged quiet updates over open tablets. Selene Mara watched the skyline from the window, jaw tight as she calculated next risks.

Harper opened her tablet and glanced down at the agenda. Southeast Asia’s Ledger node deployment was s