Chapter 97

Aaron’s POV The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall glass windows of my study, painting golden lines across the hardwood floor. I leaned back in my leather chair, a tumbler of bourbon in hand, not because I needed it, but because it added something familiar to the space. Ryan and Dante sat across from me, both perched on the edge of the couch like they were waiting for news I hadn’t yet dropped. "You sure about this, man?" Ryan asked, fingers laced behind his head. "Moving out? This place is like a palace. You own it." "Yeah," Dante chimed in. "Why the hell would you want to leave this mansion and go to a condo?" I sipped slowly, eyes drifting to the quiet street below. "It’s not about the size or the damn view. It’s about peace. About space. About not constantly being haunted." Ryan snorted. "Haunted? Please don’t say you mean Liv." I didn’t answer immediately. The silence in the room thickened. "Look," I finally said, setting my glass down. "Being here... it reminds me