Chapter 97: Family Reckoning The taunting message on the warehouse wall haunted me for days. *Tick tock.* Crowe’s words echoed in every quiet moment, but I refused to let fear paralyze me. Instead, I threw myself into work and family—the two things that still felt like mine. The penthouse had become a quiet fortress. Damien rarely left my side, and when he did, security was tripled. My ribs still ached, the bruise on my jaw fading to a sickly yellow, but I was healing. More importantly, something bigger was shifting. Ethan had organized the meeting. We gathered in a neutral conference room at a midtown hotel—neutral ground chosen deliberately. Lila sat beside me, one hand resting protectively over her bump, looking stronger after another week of bed rest. Ethan stood near the window, arms crossed, radiating quiet determination. Richard arrived exactly on time, flanked by his usual a
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