CHAPTER 156

The morning sun filtered through the grime-streaked windows of the old train depot, casting long shadows over the cracked pavement. Jessica stood motionless, watching Agent Ross walk away, her mind swirling with thoughts and possibilities. The stakes had never been higher, and the fragile alliance she had just forged felt like balancing on a knife’s edge. Every move she made now had to be precise, calculated—there was no room for error.

As she turned back to her car, the weight of her decision settled in. Her father was a powerful man with eyes and ears everywhere. If he even suspected her involvement with the FBI, she wouldn’t just lose her chance at freedom—she’d lose her life. Jessica's hands tightened on the steering wheel as she pulled out of the depot, her thoughts racing faster than the car on the deserted road.

She needed to get to Phillip. He had to know that the meeting was successful, and they had a window of opportunity. But more than that, she needed his reassurance, his