CHAPTER 41

Jessica Lane spent the next few days trying to shake off the conversation she had with her father. The encounter had left her on edge, and she couldn’t help but replay his words over and over in her mind. Andrew Lane was a man who rarely showed his hand, but his presence in her home that night had been a clear reminder of the power he wielded and the lengths he would go to protect his interests.

On a cloudy morning, Jessica decided to take a walk to clear her mind. She needed to think things through, to figure out her next steps. The streets were quiet, and the air was crisp, providing a temporary escape from the weight of her thoughts. As she walked, she considered her situation with Philip and how to approach it without falling deeper into her father’s web.

She couldn’t deny that her feelings for Philip were complicated. There was history between them, a connection that had once been strong, but time and circumstances had driven a wedge between them. Now, with Barry Aton’s death and