The probe's fury crested and broke, leaving Washington adrift in uneasy calm. Vardo's empire, battered but unbowed, salvaged its p***y deals through shadowy payoffs and forged alibis. Congressional hounds backed off, sniffing bigger prey elsewhere, while leaks dried up under Vardo's ruthless hacks. Vince's reelection campaign limped forward, polls dipping like a fever chart, his image scarred by whispers of favoritism. Speeches rang hollow now, promises undercut by the affair's ghost. Nia, the linchpin, had testified as scripted—denials crisp, eyes averted from the truth. Perjury's shadow lingered, but no charges stuck. She emerged scarred, her loyalty fractured between brothers.
In the Oval Office's hidden alcove—a paneled nook behind the president's desk, shielded by bookshelves and a f
