Samantha’s POV
The waiting room outside the press conference felt more like a cage than a refuge. I could hear the hum of voices beyond the doors, reporters murmuring, cameras clicking, microphones being tested. Each sound tightened the knot in my stomach until it felt like I could barely breathe. Jack sat beside me, his hand resting on my knee in silent reassurance, but even his touch wasn’t enough to calm the storm inside me.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said softly, his voice a steady anchor. “We can find another way.”
I shook my head. “We don’t have another way, Jack. Clara made sure of that.” My voice trembled despite my efforts to sound strong. “If I don’t address this now, they’ll never stop. They’ll tear me apart. They’ll tear us apart.”
He didn’t respond right away. Instead
