THE soft morning light crept into Oswald's spacious bedroom, filtering through the heavy drapes that lined the floor-to-ceiling windows. His room, cold and silent, reflected the man himself, empty of personal warmth.

He stirred slowly beneath the silk sheets, his mind still hazy from sleep. The large TV across the room was already on, playing the morning news. Oswald rubbed his eyes and sat up, leaning back against the headboard. His expression was blank, but the sound of the news anchors chattering about last night's event quickly grabbed his attention.

"Oswald Escobar and Queen Wilberforce made headlines last night at the annual Charity Gala, marking their first public appearance together."...