diff --git a/src/reference.hpp b/src/reference.hpp
index 7a191e8..a12a223 100644
--- a/src/reference.hpp
+++ b/src/reference.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ struct ControlBlock {
   std::atomic<uint32_t> weak_count;
 
   ControlBlock()
-      : strong_count(1), weak_count(0) {} // Start with 1 strong reference
+      : strong_count(1), weak_count(1) {
+  } // Start with 1 strong, 1 weak (biased)
 
   /**
    * @brief Increment strong reference count
@@ -64,31 +65,22 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   /**
    * @brief Get raw pointer to managed object
    */
-  T *get() const {
-    if (!control_block)
-      return nullptr;
-    constexpr size_t cb_size = sizeof(detail::ControlBlock);
-    constexpr size_t alignment = alignof(T);
-    constexpr size_t padded_cb_size =
-        (cb_size + alignment - 1) & ~(alignment - 1);
-    return reinterpret_cast<T *>(reinterpret_cast<char *>(control_block) +
-                                 padded_cb_size);
-  }
+  T *get() const noexcept { return ptr; }
 
   /**
    * @brief Dereference operator
    */
-  T &operator*() const { return *get(); }
+  T &operator*() const { return *ptr; }
 
   /**
    * @brief Arrow operator
    */
-  T *operator->() const { return get(); }
+  T *operator->() const { return ptr; }
 
   /**
    * @brief Check if Ref is valid (not empty)
    */
-  explicit operator bool() const noexcept { return control_block != nullptr; }
+  explicit operator bool() const noexcept { return ptr != nullptr; }
 
   /**
    * @brief Destructor - decrements strong reference count
@@ -98,7 +90,8 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   /**
    * @brief Copy constructor - increments strong reference count
    */
-  Ref(const Ref &other) noexcept : control_block(other.control_block) {
+  Ref(const Ref &other) noexcept
+      : ptr(other.ptr), control_block(other.control_block) {
     if (control_block) {
       control_block->increment_strong();
     }
@@ -110,6 +103,7 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   Ref &operator=(const Ref &other) noexcept {
     if (this != &other) {
       release();
+      ptr = other.ptr;
       control_block = other.control_block;
       if (control_block) {
         control_block->increment_strong();
@@ -121,7 +115,9 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   /**
    * @brief Move constructor - transfers ownership
    */
-  Ref(Ref &&other) noexcept : control_block(other.control_block) {
+  Ref(Ref &&other) noexcept
+      : ptr(other.ptr), control_block(other.control_block) {
+    other.ptr = nullptr;
     other.control_block = nullptr;
   }
 
@@ -131,7 +127,9 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   Ref &operator=(Ref &&other) noexcept {
     if (this != &other) {
       release();
+      ptr = other.ptr;
       control_block = other.control_block;
+      other.ptr = nullptr;
       other.control_block = nullptr;
     }
     return *this;
@@ -142,6 +140,7 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
    */
   void reset() noexcept {
     release();
+    ptr = nullptr;
     control_block = nullptr;
   }
 
@@ -160,11 +159,13 @@ template <typename T> struct Ref {
   /**
    * @brief Default constructor - creates empty Ref
    */
-  Ref() : control_block(nullptr) {}
+  Ref() : ptr(nullptr), control_block(nullptr) {}
 
 private:
-  explicit Ref(detail::ControlBlock *cb) : control_block(cb) {}
+  explicit Ref(T *object_ptr, detail::ControlBlock *cb)
+      : ptr(object_ptr), control_block(cb) {}
 
+  T *ptr;
   detail::ControlBlock *control_block;
 
   /**
@@ -172,24 +173,19 @@ private:
    */
   void release() noexcept {
     if (control_block) {
-      // Prevent weak count from going to 0 concurrently
-      control_block->increment_weak();
-
       uint32_t prev_strong = control_block->decrement_strong();
 
       // If this was the last strong reference, destroy the object
       if (prev_strong == 1) {
-        T *obj = get();
-        obj->~T();
-      }
+        ptr->~T();
 
-      // Now release our temporary weak reference
-      uint32_t prev_weak = control_block->decrement_weak();
+        // Release the bias - decrement weak count for strong references
+        uint32_t prev_weak = control_block->decrement_weak();
 
-      // If this was the last weak reference and we destroyed the object,
-      // we can free the control block
-      if (prev_weak == 1 && prev_strong == 1) {
-        std::free(control_block);
+        // If weak count hits 0, free control block
+        if (prev_weak == 1) {
+          std::free(control_block);
+        }
       }
     }
   }
@@ -219,7 +215,7 @@ template <typename T> struct WeakRef {
               expected_strong, expected_strong + 1, std::memory_order_acquire,
               std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
         // Success - we incremented the strong count
-        return Ref<T>(control_block);
+        return Ref<T>(get_object_ptr(), control_block);
       }
       // CAS failed, expected_strong now contains the current value, retry
     }
@@ -314,18 +310,27 @@ private:
 
   detail::ControlBlock *control_block;
 
+  // Helper to calculate object pointer from control block
+  T *get_object_ptr() const {
+    if (!control_block)
+      return nullptr;
+    constexpr size_t cb_size = sizeof(detail::ControlBlock);
+    constexpr size_t alignment = alignof(T);
+    constexpr size_t padded_cb_size =
+        (cb_size + alignment - 1) & ~(alignment - 1);
+    return reinterpret_cast<T *>(reinterpret_cast<char *>(control_block) +
+                                 padded_cb_size);
+  }
+
   /**
    * @brief Release current weak reference and handle cleanup
    */
   void release() noexcept {
     if (control_block) {
-      // Prevent strong count from going to 0 concurrently
-      auto strong = lock();
       uint32_t prev_weak = control_block->decrement_weak();
 
-      // If this was the last weak reference, check if we need to free control
-      // block
-      if (prev_weak == 1 && !strong) {
+      // If weak count hits 0, free control block
+      if (prev_weak == 1) {
         std::free(control_block);
       }
     }
@@ -357,6 +362,6 @@ template <typename T, typename... Args> Ref<T> make_ref(Args &&...args) {
   }
 
   auto *cb = new (buf) detail::ControlBlock();
-  new (buf + padded_cb_size) T{std::forward<Args>(args)...};
-  return Ref<T>(cb);
+  T *obj = new (buf + padded_cb_size) T{std::forward<Args>(args)...};
+  return Ref<T>(obj, cb);
 }