~LAYLA~
I clung to Axel's arm as we zipped bags, his word, war, still ringing in my ears. Cassandra and Charles framing us for cartel laundering?
It was absolutely insane, something out of a crime thriller, not real life. The trial was approaching, and they were probably doing this just to distract or derail us from building a strong case.
"We can't let this mafia nonsense distract us from what matters," I said, forcing my voice to sound steadier than I felt. "The trial. We need to focus on the trial."
Axel nodded as he threw the last of our clothes into the suitcase. "Trial first. Tye's already digging into those forged documents, tracking down who created them and how they got distributed to the cartels. We'll bury Charles and Cassandra in court before they can escalate this any further."
"And if they do escalate?"
"Then we deal with it. But right now, we play it cool. Act normal at checkout. Get home safely. Then we regroup with the legal team."
