CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN – BACK TO THE ROOTS

The journey was a blur of highways and rural landscapes, the miles slipping away as they put distance between themselves and the nightmare that had consumed their lives in New York. Jasmine found herself gazing out the window, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, as the city gave way to verdant fields and winding country roads. "Are you sure about this?" Gordon asked, his gaze flickering towards her as he navigated the winding roads. "Going back to your roots, I mean." Jasmine's lips curved into a soft smile, her expression one of cautious hope. "It's the only place I can think of where Adrian's reach hasn't touched. A sanctuary, of sorts." Gordon's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his jaw set with determination. "Then that's where we'll make our stand. Together." As the miles melted away, Jasmine found herself reflecting on the memories of her childhood, fleeting glimpses of a simpler time before the specter of Adrian's obsession had cast its dark shadow over