Chapter 76

• Sophia’s POV
• The living room was tense, a thick silence hanging between the four of us. Ian stood with a firm posture, his presence commanding the room as usual. Jacob leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and eyes sharp, scanning us like a military commander sizing up new recruits. Jenny and I sat side by side on the couch, our shoulders almost touching.
• The kidnapping had shaken us both, though Jenny bore the brunt of it. Even now, days later, I could see the haunted look in her eyes. She was trying to be strong, but the fear was still there, lurking just beneath the surface. It had changed something between us—forced us to confront the reality of the dangers we faced.