CHAPTER 152

The storm that brewed outside was nothing compared to the turmoil inside Jessica's mind. The winds lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest of emotions surging within her. She paced the room, the reality of Clara's revelation still too raw, too overwhelming. Her mother—alive? The possibility was like a phantom, both a beacon of hope and a ghost that haunted her every thought.

Phillip watched her, his eyes filled with quiet concern. "Jessica," he began softly, reaching out to still her restless pacing. "We have to be careful. If what Clara found is true, then this changes everything. But it also means Lane might be even more dangerous than we thought."

Jessica stopped in her tracks, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She turned to Phillip, her gaze fierce and unwavering. "He lied to me my whole life," she said, the words laced with a bitter edge. "He made me believe my mother was dead. And if she's out there, if she's alive... I need to find her. I need to know why."

Clara, w