Affairs Of State -

The heavy mahogany doors of the Situation Room muffled the chaos of the West Wing, but inside, the silence was even louder. President Elias Thorne sat at the head of the table, his reflection caught in the polished wood—a man whose face had aged a decade in four years.

"The optics are catastrophic, Elias," his Chief of Staff, Sarah, said, her voice tight. "The leak didn’t just expose the trade negotiations. It exposed the motive . If the public finds out this was a personal favor for a donor, the 'affairs of state' become the 'crimes of the century.'". Affairs of State

Sarah gave a short, mirthless laugh. "Truth isn't a currency in this town, Elias. It's a liability.". The heavy mahogany doors of the Situation Room

He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the manicured lawn of the Rose Garden. For years, he had balanced the weight of the nation against the weight of his own conscience. Now, the scales were broken. He thought of the young aides like Michael Lawson , who came to D.C. with fire in their eyes and ended up as kindling for the very fires they meant to extinguish. "Draft the resignation," Elias said quietly. The silence returned, heavier than before. "The leak didn’t just expose the trade negotiations