The night after receiving Kelly’s threatening note, sleep eluded me. My mind churned with memories of the past and the bitter reality of the present. Kelly had crossed countless lines before, but threatening Caden was a declaration of war I could not ignore.
By the time dawn broke, I was already in Caden’s office, going over plans with Vincent and the rest of the team. The tension in the room was palpable, and Caden’s sharp commands left no room for error.
“She’s desperate,” Caden said, his tone cold and calculating. “And desperate people make mistakes. We’ll use that against her.”
“She’s dangerous,” I countered, my voice firm. “We can’t underestimate her.”
Caden’s gaze softened as he turned to me. “Ashley, I won’t let her harm you or me. This ends on our terms, not hers.”
The plan wa
