Chapter 43 The Man Who Decides

• Theo’s POV
• All I’d ever asked was for us to move quietly, to let this storm die down. Just a little breathing room. But no. Sofia had to make it all impossible—twisting every simple plan into chaos, forcing me to behave like this, even if I didn’t want to. She made me choose, and I had no choice left.
• I felt the weight of Martha in my arms, her tiny fingers curling against my shirt. Sleepy, innocent, trusting—she had no idea the battle raging just a few feet above her head. My heart twisted. I wanted to protect her, keep her safe, but she was the reason I had to play this role, harsh as it felt.