Chapter 128

MICHAEL’S POV

The car hummed beneath me as I steered out of the Harrington mansion, the huge gates swinging shut in my rearview mirror.

My plans adhered to the steering wheel, not from tension but a steady rush of anticipation.

For the first time in weeks, I wasn’t haunted by uncertainty.

Isabella had stayed back to help her mother with something—something about the church fundraising dinner next weekend.

I didn’t mind. In fact, I welcomed the space to let my thoughts bubble without distraction.

The meeting with Mr. Harrington had gone better than I expected, and I felt as if a weight had lifted from my chest.

It wasn’t just the promises of support; though those had been enough to rekindle a confidence I hadn’t felt in a long time, it was the simple fact that I wasn’t alone in this anymore.

As I drove down the winding roads, a faint smile curled at the edges of my lips.

I tapped my fingers gently, nodding to the beat of the music playing softly from the radio.

The car's speed crept