The rain hit the window of the old coffee shop on Maple Street like tiny bullets. I sat in the back corner, watching the door. Henry had arranged this meeting with Maxwell Cross, supposedly the best private investigator money could buy. The shop was nearly empty—just an old man reading a newspaper and a college student typing on her laptop. Perfect for a meeting that needed to stay secret. At exactly three o'clock, a man walked in. He wasn't what I expected. Maxwell Cross looked like a professor, not a detective. Gray beard, wire-rimmed glasses, and a brown jacket that had seen better days. He ordered black coffee and walked straight to my table like he'd known where I'd be sitting all along. His eyes scanned the room once before he sat down. Those eyes were sharp, missing nothing. "Mr. Blackwell," he said quietly, setting a leather briefcase beside his chair. "Henry Abbott speaks highly of you. Says you need answers about Victoria Pierce." I nodded, pulling out the envelope Dr. C

The morning sun cut through the penthouse windows like golden knives. I hadn't slept. Maxwell's call about the nursing facility kept playing in my mind, but I couldn't act on it yet. Not until he had proof. Instead, I sat at my grandfather's desk, surrounded by Pierce Industries documents that Gerald had delivered at dawn. The old lawyer had looked tired, his usually perfect suit wrinkled, but his eyes were sharp with purpose."These are internal audit reports," Gerald had said, placing three thick folders on the desk. "Marcus Pierce thought they were destroyed in a fire two years ago. He was wrong. Your grandfather had copies made before the originals disappeared."Now, three hours later, I understood why someone had tried to destroy them. The numbers told a story of theft so clever, so patient, that it took my breath away. Victoria Pierce hadn't just stolen money—she'd bled the company slowly, like a vampire feeding just enough to survive without killing the host.My phone rang. Max

The afternoon light painted Brandon's face golden as we sat in my grandfather's penthouse office. He'd been quiet since returning from Lily's school, something heavy weighing on his shoulders. I watched him fidget with his coffee cup, unusual for someone normally so confident. Finally, he set the cup down and looked me straight in the eye."I need to tell you something," Brandon said, his voice steady but soft. "About the Pierce family. About what I've seen over the years."I leaned back in my chair, giving him space to speak. The city hummed below us, thirty floors down, but up here it felt like we were in a different world. Brandon stood and walked to the window, his reflection ghostlike in the glass."I've worked for the Pierce family since I was eighteen," he began. "My father got me the job, said it would teach me about business. First day, Victoria had me organize files in her home office. That's when I saw how she talked about you." He turned to face me, pain clear in his eyes.

The university library stood like a fortress of knowledge against the evening sky. I had come here after visiting Lily, needing a quiet place to review the documents before tonight's meeting with Marcus Pierce. The campus was mostly empty at seven o'clock, just a few students hurrying between buildings. I should have noticed the footsteps following me from the parking lot, but my mind was on Victoria's crimes and the parent she'd hidden in that nursing facility.The first punch came from behind, catching me just below my left ear. The world tilted sideways, and my papers scattered across the concrete like white birds trying to fly. I stumbled forward, my vision blurring, and turned to see Daniel Pierce standing there with his fists raised. His face was twisted with rage, nothing like the smirking bully I'd known for years. This was someone whose world was crumbling, and he'd decided I was to blame."You destroyed everything!" Daniel screamed, spit flying from his mouth. His expensive

Victoria laughed, but it sounded forced. "You think you've already won. But you don't know what I'm capable of. You don't know the connections I have, the power I can still wield.""Your connections are abandoning you," I informed her. "Marcus is with the district attorney right now. Daniel is in a cell. You're alone, Victoria.""I'm never alone," she said cryptically. "And neither are you. Watch your back, Ethan. Watch everyone you care about. This isn't over."The line went dead.Thomas immediately saved the recording to three different drives. "That's assault, threatening a minor, admission of embezzlement, and conspiracy. This alone could put her away for years.""Send copies to the district attorney and the FBI," I instructed. "But keep one for our records."Margaret was already on her phone with our night editor. "Run the story. Front page, digital edition goes live in one hour." She looked at me. "Are you sure you want to escalate this fast?""She just threatened Lily," I said,