Daniel didn’t wait for anyone. The second the call cut off and that terrible sound of metal tearing apart filled his ears, he was already on his feet. He grabbed his keys, stormed out of the office, and practically ran to the private garage. No guards. No driver. Just him and the raw panic clawing at his chest as he threw himself into the car and sped out of the palace grounds.

He drove like a man possessed, weaving through traffic with his heart slamming against his ribs. Every second felt like a lifetime. His mind kept replaying the sound of the crash over and over, the screech, the impact,...