Chapter 143

Theo's POV The morning call to Claire had become my ritual, the fifteen minutes that anchored my day before facing whatever corporate warfare awaited at VM Group. Her voice had carried renewed strength, a determination that flowed through our mating bond like electricity, reminding me why I'd fallen in love with her brilliant, unbreakable spirit in the first place. "I love you too," she'd whispered before ending the call, her words carrying the kind of absolute conviction that made everything else feel manageable. "More than you'll ever know." Now, settling into my executive chair with the familiar weight of responsibility pressing against my shoulders, I felt fortified by that connection as I prepared to navigate another day of damage control and strategic planning. The theft of our research remained a wound that demanded attention, but Claire's renewed fighting spirit had reminded me that some battles were worth every resource I possessed. Charlie knocked on my office door with his u