The piercing sound of alarms echoed through the grand halls of the palace, followed by the thunder of explosions from the outer gates. Celestina stood in the war room, surrounded by her advisors, soldiers, and her mother, Isolde. The walls seemed to vibrate with the chaos outside.

Anton burst through the door, his uniform torn and bloodied. “They’ve breached the first gate, Madam President. We’re holding them back, but they’re coming in stronger than we anticipated.”

Celestina clenched her fists, her voice steady but sharp. “Then we’ll hold this palace. Fall back to the secondary gate and reinforce the guard there. No one gets inside.”

Anton hesitated. “The loyalists have better weapons than we thought—supplied from foreign powers, no doubt. We may not hold them for long.”

Celestina turned to Dimitri, who was already gearing up for battle. “Dimitri, what’s the status of our defenses?”

“Not good,” Dimitri said grimly. “We’re outnumbered, and if they breach the second gate, we’ll have no choice but to retreat.”

Isolde gripped Celestina’s arm, her voice trembling. “You can’t stay here, Celestina. You have to use the hidden passage. It’s the only way to keep you and the baby safe.”

Celestina shook her head firmly. “No. This is my palace, my fight. If I run now, I’ll lose everything I’ve worked for. They’ll take this as a victory.”

The sounds of gunfire grew louder, and the distant shouts of loyalist forces echoed through the palace. Celestina’s team scrambled to coordinate their defenses.

Dimitri stepped closer to her, lowering his voice. “If it comes down to it, I’ll force you into that passage myself. I won’t let them take you, Celestina.”

Her gaze softened briefly, but her resolve was unshaken. “I’m not leaving my people to fight alone. If they can stand and face this, so can I.”

Suddenly, a frantic guard rushed into the room, his face pale. “Madam President, we have a traitor among us. General Harker—he’s opened the inner gates!”

The room fell silent as the weight of the betrayal sank in. Celestina’s jaw tightened, anger flaring in her eyes. “Where is Harker now?”

“He’s leading the loyalists through the east wing,” the guard replied.

Dimitri didn’t hesitate. “I’ll handle him.”

“No,” Celestina said, stepping forward. “You stay here and secure the war room. I’ll send soldiers to deal with Harker.”

Dimitri grabbed her arm, his voice low and urgent. “You can’t take this risk. If they get to you, it’s over.”

She pulled away. “I won’t cower while they destroy everything we’ve built.”

The palace descended into chaos as gunfire echoed through the marble halls. Celestina’s guards worked tirelessly to push back the loyalist forces, but the odds were against them.

In the middle of the battle, Dimitri spotted loyalists surging toward the main gates, taking advantage of Harker’s betrayal. He turned to Celestina, his expression set with determination.

“I’m going to the gates,” he said. “They can’t breach the main hall.”

Celestina grabbed his hand. “You can’t go alone. It’s suicide.”

Dimitri offered a faint smile. “If it means buying you more time, it’s worth it.”

Before she could argue, he slipped away, disappearing into the chaos.

As Celestina coordinated her remaining forces, an explosion rocked the east wing of the palace. Smoke filled the air, and screams echoed down the halls. Anton stumbled into the war room, coughing and bloodied.

“They’ve taken the east wing,” he said. “We’re losing ground fast.”

Isolde gripped her daughter’s arm. “Celestina, please. You have to leave now.”

Celestina’s gaze hardened. “I told you, I’m not running. We hold the palace.”

At the gates, Dimitri fought alongside the guards, doing everything in his power to slow the loyalists’ advance. With sheer determination, he managed to close the gates, sealing off the attackers—but not before taking a bullet to his shoulder.

“Fall back to the main hall!” he shouted to the remaining guards, clutching his wound.

Back in the war room, Celestina’s heart raced as the sound of boots grew louder outside the door. The loyalists were closing in. Suddenly, the doors burst open, and her guards raised their weapons, aiming at the figure who entered.

It was the leader of the loyalist faction—a tall man with a scar running down his face. He strode in confidently, flanked by armed men.

“Madam President,” he said with a mocking bow. “You’ve put up an admirable fight, but it ends here. Surrender now, and perhaps we’ll show mercy.”

Celestina stepped forward, her head held high. “You think I’ll surrender to traitors? You underestimate me.”

The loyalist leader smirked. “You’re brave, I’ll give you that. But bravery won’t save you or your precious government.”

The guards around Celestina tightened their grip on their weapons, but the loyalist leader raised a hand. “Don’t bother. You’re surrounded. This palace is ours now.”