The room was heavy with the weight of her misjudgment. Madison’s eyes narrowed as she processed the magnitude of her blunder. It wasn’t just about a house; it was about the audacity of assuming one could claim what was never theirs to begin with.

“I… I didn’t know,” she stammered, casting a sideways glance at Brad, whose silence confirmed her fears. Her voice, once syrupy with confidence, now trembled with uncertainty.

Brad finally found his voice, the bravado gone. “Harper, I… We can work this out. I didn’t mean—”