She stood slightly apart, composed, elegant, watching everything with a calm confidence that sent a cold wave through me.
I didn’t go inside.
I stayed where I was.
Watched.
Listened with my eyes.
Harper handed over documents.
Ethan signed.
Claire smiled.
It wasn’t relief.
It was certainty.
Then they left.
The tracker moved again.
Destination: my house.
—
I followed at a distance, my chest tightening with every step.
I watched as they approached the front door.
My door.
Ethan unlocked it.
Walked inside.
Like he owned it.
Claire followed.
Harper behind them.
And just like that…
I was a stranger standing outside my own life.
I didn’t go in.
Not yet.
Instead, I turned around and went back to the café.
My hands were steadier now.
I opened my laptop.
Logged into Alexander’s email.
There it was.
A scheduled message.
Waiting.
“Elena, if you’re reading this, Ethan has tried to force you out. Don’t sign anything. Go to box 317. The truth is there.”
My vision blurred.
He knew.
He had known.
Nothing about this was accidental.
The next morning, I went to the bank.
Box 317.
Inside, I found documents… a USB drive… and a letter.
My hands trembled as I opened the video file.
Alexander appeared on the screen.