EMMA'S POV

The polished marble floors of the Cross penthouse felt different now, no longer just a sanctuary but a launching pad. The lake house had been a crucible, forging our future, and I returned to the city with a new kind of resolve thrumming beneath my skin. Adrian’s hand, warm and possessive, found mine as we stepped out of the elevator, his thumb stroking my knuckles in a silent promise. We were back in our gilded cage, but this time, I was ready to build my own wings within it.