XIII. The Thirteenth Article, #1

For as long as he can remember, Daniel Mercer believed he was an ordinary man. A husband, a father, a small-town professional trying to keep his life together and protect the people he loves most-his wife Emily and their young daughter Sophie. But when a series of late-night intrusions, cryptic messages, and violent encounters tear through the quiet of his world, Daniel is forced to confront a truth that has been hidden for centuries.
Daniel is not ordinary. He is the heir to a secret bloodline stretching back to America's Founding Fathers-a bloodline that has been carefully tracked and guarded by a shadowy network sworn to step forward only when the nation's democracy collapses beyond repair. Buried deep within the Constitution lies a hidden article, Article XIII, authorizing the rise of a king when the republic becomes too corrupt to govern itself.
And Daniel Mercer is next in line. As Washington fractures and civil unrest simmers, the United States edges toward chaos. Corruption festers at the highest levels of government, and foreign powers circle like vultures. To some, Daniel represents salvation-the return of order under a single ruler who can reunite a divided nation. To others, he is a threat that must be eliminated before he claims his crown.
Half the government wants him enthroned. The other half wants him dead. Caught between loyalty to his family and a destiny he never asked for, Daniel struggles to reconcile his ordinary life with an extraordinary legacy. Every decision could cost him everything-his wife, his daughter, even his own life. Protected by those sworn to uphold the Thirteenth Article and hunted by powerful enemies determined to erase him, Daniel must decide whether he will run from his bloodline.
or embrace it and lead a nation on the brink of collapse. Blending political thriller, suspense, and conspiracy fiction, Article XIII delivers a gripping story of hidden history, betrayal, and resilience. Fans of Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum, and political dramas like House of Cards will be drawn into a world where family loyalty collides with the fate of a nation, and where one man's choice will determine whether America falls into ruin-or rises under a king.
Prepare for a high-stakes journey into secrecy and power, where the lines between democracy and monarchy blur, and the survival of a nation rests on a reluctant heir who never wanted the crown.