The silence in Shartia's office was thick and heavy.

"Of course…"

Shartia let out a hollow laugh, her gaze fixed on the space where Ricardo had just been.

"Right…"

To say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Deep down, she had hoped Ricardo would choose to stand by her. After all, he was the most coveted person in the Empire, and his firm rejection left a bitter taste.

There was no denying his competence.
No one else worried about her well-being as much as he did. With someone like that by her side, she felt she could muster …