Chapter 194

The elevator doors open, and we step inside. I stand rigid, watching the numbers light up as we ascend. I can almost hear the ticking of my watch—the piece of art Jade got me. Each tick is a countdown to the inevitable clash that’s about to unfold. Maybe I’m thinking too much about it. But I know, deep down, that none of this will go down without a fight.

Finally, the doors slide open, and there i