CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR - A Battle of Wills Begins

One sunny afternoon, Deonna was in the kitchen preparing snacks for Kayla's playdate when the doorbell rang. She wiped her hands on a towel and went to answer it, expecting to see Kayla's friend and her mother. Instead, she found herself face-to-face with a stern-looking man in a suit. "Deonna Vernetti?" he asked, his voice clipped and professional. Deonna nodded, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. "Yes, that's me." The man held out a thick envelope. "You've been served. Please accept these legal documents." With shaking hands, Deonna took the envelope. As soon as she did, the man turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the doorway, stunned. She closed the door and leaned against it, her heart pounding. With trembling fingers, she tore open the envelope and began to read the contents. As the words sank in, she felt the floor drop out from beneath her. "Logan!" she called, her voice cracking. "Logan, you need to see this!" Logan rushed into the room, alarm clear o