Chapter Twenty-Five: The Gilded Cage
The private jet touched down at Teterboro Airport in the middle of a torrential downpour, the kind of New York rain that felt like the sky was trying to wash the city clean. I sat in the plush leather seat of the cabin, my body feeling like a hollow shell. Across from me, Alexander was still holding Chase. My son had fallen asleep hours ago, his small head resting against the expensive fabric of Alexander’s shoulder. It was a sight that should have been tender, but to me, it felt like a brand. Alexander hadn't let go of him for the entire flight, as if he feared that the moment he loosened his grip, we would both evaporate into the thin mountain air of Oakhaven again.
We were whisked from the tarmac into a waiting cavalcade of black town cars. No cust
