The next few days blurred together in a whirlwind of tension and anticipation. Lily watched as Chris threw himself into Operation Chanel, as she'd privately dubbed it, with the same intensity he brought to all his ventures. Their elegant dining room had transformed into a makeshift command center, the antique chandelier casting soft light over rows of laptops displaying security feeds from high-end boutiques across the globe. The usual warmth of their home had been replaced by an atmosphere of focused determination, punctuated only by the soft clicking of keyboards and occasional murmurs from Chris's security team.
Chris hunched over the central monitor, his broad shoulders tense beneath his crisp white shirt, eyes constantly scanning for any sign of their target. The dark circles under his eyes grew deeper each day, but his determination never wavered. Each time he rubbed his tired eyes or rolled his tense shoulders, Lily felt her heart twist with a mixture of pride and concern.
