don’t own.”
Each fact stood alone.
“I’m done negotiating.”
That was when the shift happened.
Chloe looked toward Richard, then Evelyn, waiting for one of them to fix it.
They couldn’t.
I turned toward the door.
“Seven days,” I repeated.
Then I left.
No shouting followed me.
Only silence.
I drove to a hotel.
Check-in took less than five minutes.
Credit card.
ID.
Room key.
Simple.
Quiet.
Temporary.
I blocked every number.
Richard.
Evelyn.
Vance.
Chloe.
Then I set a reminder.
Seven days.
After that, I opened my laptop.
There
