Chapter 486

Jason’s POV

I let out a long breath, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. 

The boy had been a necessary pawn in my plan to expose Isabella’s schemes, but now it was becoming a complication I hadn’t anticipated.

“Fine,” I said finally. “I’ll deal with it. Tell her I’ll come for the boy in two days.”

“Thank you, sir,” Paul said, relief evident in his voice. “I’ll let her know.”

I ended the call and stood there for a moment, staring at the phone in my hand. My chest felt heavy with the weight of my decisions, the lines between right and wrong blurring more each day.

As I walked back to the car, I forced a smile, slipping into the back seat beside Layla. She looked up at me with tired eyes, her hand reaching for mine.

“Everything okay?” she asked softly.

“Yeah,” I lied, squeezing her hand gently. “Just work stuff.”

She nodded, resting her head against my shoulder again. Maddie gave me a