"Mr Calvino, I am sorry, sir, but the bank has called in your loan, sir, and they want the money in seven days, sir, and if you do not pay, sir, they will take the office, sir, and they will take the cars, sir, and they will take everything, sir."Ethan's accountant is standing in Ethan's office, and his voice is shaking, and his hands are shaking, and he is holding a letter, and the letter has the bank's stamp on it, and Ethan is sitting behind his desk, and his face turns white, and Lilith is standing by the door, and she is holding her bag, and she is ready to leave, and she is not ready to stay, and she is watching Ethan fall apart, and she is wondering when the man she left Kael for became a man who cannot pay his own bank."Seven days, and they want it in seven days, and I do not have it in seven days, and I do not have it in seventy days, because Kael took my warehouse, and Kael took my stock, and Kael took my suppliers, and now the bank wants my office, and what do I have left

"Mr Calvino, I have been watching you, and I have been watching Kael Watson, and I must say, Ethan, you are losing, and you are losing badly, and I do not like watching men lose, especially when I can help them win."Marcus Ashford is sitting in Ethan's apartment, and he is old, and he is tall, and his suit is black, and his hair is silver, and his eyes are cold, and his voice is smooth, and Lilith is in the bedroom, and she is listening through the door, and her heart is pounding, and she is holding her breath, because she knows this man is Marcus, and she knows he is Kael's uncle, and she knows he is dangerous, and Ethan is pouring drinks, and his hands are shaking, and he is smiling, because a rich old man has come to save him, and Ethan loves to be saved."Mr Ashford, sir, and thank you for coming, sir, and I have heard your name, sir, and I have heard you are a powerful man, sir, and I need a powerful man, sir, because Kael Watson is taking everything from me, sir, and I do not k

"Mr Watson, welcome home, sir, and this is Hillcrest House, sir, and it is yours, sir, and it has nine bedrooms, sir, and a garden, sir, and a view of the whole town, sir, and the keys are yours, sir, and the house is yours, sir."The agent is standing in the doorway, and he is smiling, and he is holding a set of keys, and the house is big, and it is white, and it is on a hill, and the garden is full of roses, and the windows are tall, and the sun is shining, and Clara is standing beside me, and she is holding a basket of lilies, and she is looking at the house, and her mouth is open, and Mr Graves is standing behind us, and he is smiling, and he is thinking of my father, and of the house my father will visit tomorrow, and of the family that will finally come home."Clara, what do you think, and tell me the truth, because I bought this house this morning, and I bought it with cash, and I bought it because Ethan tried to burn my hotel, and my shop, and my restaurant, and I need a house

"Kael, do not leave me alone tonight, and stay with me, and talk to me, because I cannot sleep, and I keep smelling smoke, and I keep hearing glass, and I keep seeing the curtains burn, and I am frightened, Kael, and I do not want to be frightened alone."Clara is sitting in the guest room of the hotel, and we are back in the hotel for one night, because Hillcrest House is burnt, and the builders are coming tomorrow, and Mr Graves has booked us rooms, and Clara's room is next to mine, and she has come to my door, and she is holding a blanket, and her hair is down, and her eyes are red, and she looks young, and she looks scared, and I let her in, and I sit with her, and I do not touch her, and I do not kiss her, because tonight is not a night for kissing, tonight is a night for talking, and for staying awake, and for being alive."Tell me about your mother, Clara, and tell me about the shop, and tell me about the lilies, because I want to hear something that is not fire, and I want to

"Kael, this is beautiful, and the house is beautiful, and the table is beautiful, and the lilies are beautiful, and you are beautiful, in your work clothes, and I am glad I came, and I am glad your father is here, and I am glad we are all together, for one night, without fire, and without Ethan, and without Marcus."Clara is sitting at the table in Hillcrest House, and the builders have fixed the hall, and the curtains are new, and the lilies are fresh, and my father is sitting at the head of the table, and he is old, and he is tall, and he looks like me, and he is smiling, and Mr Graves is serving the soup, and Sam Porter is standing by the door, and the night is quiet, and the town is below us, and for one night, we are a family, and for one night, there is no war, and for one night, I am not Northgate, and I am not Ashford, I am just Kael, and Clara is just Clara, and my father is just my father, and that is enough, and it is more than enough, it is everything."Clara, thank you fo