CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE - A Moment of Clarity

Mason was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the floor. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm scared, Claire. I'm so fucking scared. If we lose this lawsuit, I lose everything I've worked for. My dream, my vision... it all falls apart." Claire felt her anger deflate, replaced by a deep, aching sadness. She reached out, gently touching Mason's cheek. "I understand that, Mason. I do. But what about us? What happens to us if you win the lawsuit but lose me in the process?" Mason looked up, his eyes meeting hers. The vulnerability she saw there shook her to her core. "I don't know," he admitted. "I don't know how to fix this, Claire. I don't know how to be the person you need me to be right now and still save my company." Claire felt tears prick at her eyes. "I'm not asking you to choose, Mason. I'm just asking you to try. To remember that I'm here, that we're supposed to be partners in this." Mason nodded slowly, reaching out to take her hand again.