"The country was a mess," Kan said, his voice heavy. "Years of bad leaders. Everything broken."
"We knew it wouldn't be easy," Samuel replied, looking at reports on a screen. "But people are watching. They want change."
"Ariella's reforms help," Kan said. "Less corruption. More schools. Roads that work."
"But trust is slow," Samuel said. "People are scared."
"We show them," Kan said, his voice hard. "We show them we're different."
Ariella's voice, calm, came through the comms. "Remember why we did this. We rebuild for everyone. Not just a few."
"She's right," Samuel said. "She's always right. Like a silent voice."
"The Silent Influencer," Kan said. "She guides us, but no one sees her."
"Kael's doing well as Commander," Samuel said. "And you, Minister of Security, are keeping things steady."
"Steady, but tense," Kan said. "There are still people who want the old ways back. People who want power."
"We'll deal with them," Samuel said. "We have to."
Ariella's voice, a whisper in their ears. "They won't stop easily. Be ready."
"Ready for what?" Kan asked, his voice tight.
"For anything," Ariella said. "The real fight it's just beginning."
"Did you see the news?" Bruno asked, his voice still filled with disbelief. "Mark gone? Just like that?"
Damien shook his head. "Samuel, Ariella I knew they were up to something, but this?"
"I thought he was just selling books," Bruno said, a hint of awe in his voice. "Quiet, always reading. But he led a revolution?"
"And Ariella," Damien said, his eyes wide. "Remember how lost she was? Now she's this? A force?"
"Like a ghost," Bruno said. "They say she was everywhere, but no one saw her."
"They called her The Silent Influencer," Damien said. "Fitting, right?"
"We need to see them," Bruno said. "We need to understand."
When they finally met, the air was thick with unspoken words. Joy, yes, but also a strange distance.
"You changed," Bruno said, looking at Samuel. "You're different."
Samuel just nodded, a weariness in his eyes. "We all had to be."
Damien looked at Ariella. "And you were the key, weren't you? The one pulling the strings?"
Ariella's eyes were steady, calm. "We did what we had to do."
"But the risks." Bruno started, then trailed off. "How did you?"
"We had a plan," Samuel said, his voice quiet. "And we trusted each other."
"But now what?" Damien asked, his gaze shifting between them. "What happens next?"
Ariella and Samuel exchanged a look, a silent conversation passing between them.
"They want Samuel to be President," Bruno said, his voice filled with surprise. "Everyone. The people, the soldiers."
"He led the revolution," Damien said. "They trust him. They think he's the answer."
"But he said no," Bruno said, shaking his head. "He turned it down."
"Why?" Damien asked, confused. "Everyone wants him."
"He said he's not a politician," Bruno said. "He wants something different."
"Different how?" Damien asked.
"He wants a council," Bruno said. "People from all walks of life. They choose the President."
"And he'll be what? Prime Minister?" Damien asked.
"Yes," Bruno said. "He'll run the government day to day. He says it stops one person from having too much power."
"Smart," Damien said. "But risky."
"He wants a government for everyone," Bruno said. "Not just the rich or powerful."
"And Ariella?" Damien asked, his voice low. "Where is she in all this?"
"Still in the shadows," Bruno said. "They say she's everywhere, but no one sees her."
"Like a ghost," Damien said. "Always influencing."
"They say she is the reason that all of this is possible." Bruno replied.
"This is all very different," Damien said. "It could work, or it could fall apart."
"Ariella's still guiding them," Bruno said, watching the news feed. "Making sure they don't lose their way."
"She's like a shadow," Damien said. "Always there, but never seen. She whispers advice to Samuel. Helps the council."
"Keeps them honest," Bruno said. "Stops them from becoming like Mark."
"She's the real force behind this," Damien said. "The Silent Influencer."
"They've changed," Bruno said, looking at Samuel on the screen. "He's Prime Minister now. Imagine that."
"He suggested the power sharing system," Damien said. "To avoid one person holding all the power."
"And it's working," Bruno said. "People have hope again."
"They risked everything," Damien said. "For all of us."
"They're heroes," Bruno said. "Our heroes."
"The whole country knows it," Damien said. "They respect them. They're grateful."
"They're not like the old leaders," Bruno said. "No power trips. Just doing what's right."
"And Ariella, behind it all," Damien said. "Making sure it stays that way."
"Things are getting better," Bruno said, watching Samuel on the news. "The country's healing."
"And so are they," Damien said, nodding toward a private feed showing Samuel and Ariella. "Look at them."
"They've been through so much," Bruno said. "Danger, secrets, the revolution itself. It changed them."
"It made them closer," Damien said. "Like they understand each other on a level we can't."
"Samuel's different now," Bruno said. "Prime Minister. Strong, but still him."
"He trusts her," Damien said. "Completely. He admires her. Her mind, her strength."
"She can move mountains without anyone noticing," Bruno said. "That's Ariella."
"And he loves her for it," Damien said. "For who she is, not just what she does."
"She's found peace with him," Bruno said. "He sees her, the real her."
"No masks, no secrets," Damien said. "Just them."
"They're a team," Bruno said. "A force."
Sound of a phone ringing, then Samuel's voice, tense.
"Ariella, they've found something. Something disturbing."
"What is it?" Ariella asked, her voice calm, but with an edge of concern.
"Evidence," Samuel said. "Of something much bigger than we thought."
"Bigger than what?" Ariella asked, her voice low.
"They're good together," Bruno said, watching Samuel and Ariella work. "Like a perfect match."
"They understand each other," Damien said. "Respect each other. It's different."
"Partners," Bruno said. "In everything. They push each other, make each other better."
"It makes sense," Damien said, "that he asked her to marry him."
"No big show," Bruno said. "Just them, quiet and real."
"He knelt," Damien said, "like any man in love."
"And she said yes," Bruno said, smiling. "Happy tears and all."
"Small wedding," Damien said. "Just friends and family."
"A celebration," Bruno said. "Of their love, and what they're building."
"The whole country's happy for them," Damien said. "They see them as a symbol."
"Hope," Bruno said. "For a better future."
"They're a team," Damien said. "A force for good."
"Samuel, the Prime Minister," Bruno said. "Ariella, always there, always guiding."
"Still the Silent Influencer," Damien said. "But now his wife."
Sound of a phone ringing, then Ariella's voice, sharp.
"Samuel, they're moving. Fast. We have to act now."
"Who's moving?" Samuel asked, his voice tense.
"The people we talked about," Ariella said. "The ones who want the old ways back."
"They won't stop," Damien said, his voice filled with worry.
"They never do," Bruno said. "But we will."
"They built something amazing," Bruno said, watching a news report. "Justice, equality everything they promised."
"And they did it together," Damien said. "Quietly, but with real strength."
"Their story is like a legend," Bruno said. "Love, power but not like the old days."
"It's been a year," Damien said, his voice thoughtful. "Since the revolution. Things are different now."
Sound of papers shuffling, then Samuel's voice, tired.
"Another meeting," Samuel said, his voice heavy. "Another problem."
"It's not easy," Ariella said, her voice calm, but with a hint of worry. "Running a country."
"It's like a prison," Samuel said, his voice low. "Endless work. No time for anything else."
"The honeymoon's over," Damien said, listening to their conversation. "The real work started."
"Ariella's still helping," Bruno said. "Whispering advice, like always."
"But even she looks worried," Damien said. "People are restless."
"The cheers are gone," Bruno said. "Now it's just problems."
Sound of a sudden, sharp alarm, then a distorted voice over the comms.
"Prime Minister, urgent report. Riots in Streets. They're demanding answers."
"Answers for what?" Samuel asked, his voice tense.
"Food shortages," Ariella said, her voice sharp. "And rumors rumors of corruption."
"Corruption?" Samuel asked, his voice filled with disbelief. "Not again."
"They want to believe in us," Bruno said, his voice filled with worry. "But."
"But they're losing faith," Damien said, his voice low. "And if they lose faith."
"The promises they feel empty now," Ariella said, her voice low. "People are tired of waiting."
Samuel ran a hand over his face, his eyes heavy. "We're doing our best. But it's like trying to fix a broken machine, with no tools."
"They wanted quick fixes," Ariella said. "We gave them slow change."
Sound of footsteps, then Bruno's voice, tired.
"It's bad out there," Bruno said. "People are hurting. They remember what we said. They're losing hope."
"What are they saying?" Samuel asked, his voice tense.
"Families are struggling," Bruno said. "Businesses are closing. They feel betrayed."
Sound of a door closing, then Damien's voice, grave.
"It's worse than we thought," Damien said. "They're organizing. Against us."
"Who?" Samuel asked, his voice sharp.
"Old power players," Damien said. "People who lost their grip. And some who just want change."
"They're using our words against us," Damien said. "Promising the 'old ways' but with themselves in charge."
Samuel's voice was tight. "They want to take back what we built."
"They're playing on people's anger," Damien said. "Their fear."
"We knew this could happen," Ariella said, her voice calm. "But now it's real."
"What do we do?" Samuel asked, his voice filled with worry.
"We remind them," Ariella said. "Why we did this. Why we fought."
Sound of a low, rumbling sound, growing louder.
"What's that?" Bruno asked, his voice filled with alarm.
"It sounds like." Damien started, then trailed off.
"Protests," Ariella said. "And they're getting closer."