Chapter 62

AVA

As I walked out of the hearing, the sense of relief I felt was fleeting, quickly replaced by a wave of exhaustion and anxiety. The small victory was just that—small. Liam was still not free, and I knew Uncle John wouldn’t let this go without a fight. He was a man accustomed to having control, and now that control was slipping. I could see it in his eyes, the way his jaw clenched as the board announced their decision. But I had to keep pushing. For Liam’s sake, I couldn’t afford to stop now.

The next few days were a blur of frantic planning and cautious anticipation. I couldn’t shake the feeling that John was plotting something, that he wouldn’t take the board’s decision lying down. He was too powerful, too connected. I had to be ready for whatever he threw at me next.

One afternoon, as I sat in my room, sifting through the notes and documents I had gathered, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I tensed, expecting the worst. But when I opened the door, it was Clara standin