The drive back to Carter Ranch was thick with unresolved tension, the kind that pressed against their chests like an invisible weight. The press conference had been a whirlwind of accusations, pointed questions, and flashing cameras, leaving both Jack and Rose drained but far from defeated. Yet, as they drove down the winding road toward the ranch, the reality of what lay ahead began to settle over them like an oncoming storm. Margaret’s name hung in the air between them, unspoken yet omnipresent. She wasn’t just winning; she was orchestrating her victory with precision, pulling strings behind the scenes that neither Jack nor Rose could see clearly—yet.
Jack kept one hand firm on the steering wheel, his knuckles white from the pressure. His jaw was locked so tightly it felt like it might
