Richard Carter betrayed me.
Adrian Vale threatened your mother.
But Richard’s son may one day try to fix what his father ruined.
Do not trust him because he is a Carter.
Trust him only if he chooses you when choosing you costs him everything.
I read the last line again.
And again.
Then I looked up at Nathan.
His face had gone pale.
He had not known about the letter.
That much was clear.
Before either of us could speak, headlights swept across the front windows.
A car had stopped outside.
Then another.
Nathan turned off the lamp with one swift motion, plunging us into darkness.
My heart thundered.
Through the window, I saw men in dark coats step onto the lawn.
Not police.
Not neighbors.
Nathan took the metal box from my hands and placed it back against my chest.
“Go through the back.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll slow them down.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“No.” My voice shook, but I stood. “I spent my entire life waiting for someone who would choose my heart first. I am not starting this by letting you decide my fate without me.”
Something moved across his face.
A flicker of admiration.
A flicker of fear.
Then the front door opened.
A man’s voice called from the darkness.
“Miss Bennett. Mr. Carter. There’s no need to hide.”
Nathan went still.
I recognized the voice from the voicemail.
Adrian Vale.
He stepped into the dining room as if he owned it.
He was older than Nathan, silver-haired, elegantly dressed, with the relaxed posture of a man who had never needed to raise his voice to ruin lives.
His eyes moved to the box in my hands.
Then he smiled.
“Daniel always was sentimental.”
Nathan stepped in front of me.
Vale sighed. “Still playing the hero? How disappointing.”
“Where is Evelyn Bennett?” Nathan demanded.
My heart stopped at the sound of my mother’s name.
Vale tilted his head.
“Safe. For now.”
I lunged forward, but Nathan caught my arm.
Vale’s smile deepened.
“You have your father’s eyes, Maya. He looked at me the same way the night he realized genius means very little without power.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“The notebooks. The drive. And silence.”
“You already stole everything from him.”
“Not everything.” Vale’s gaze flicked between Nathan and me. “He kept you.”
Nathan’s voice turned deadly. “Let her mother go.”
Vale chuckled. “You’re in no position to command me. In fact, you’re about to lose your company, your board, and the little saint
