The phone call came while Alex Munroe was washing dishes.His hands were covered in soap suds when he felt the vibration in his pocket. He wiped them quickly on his jeans and answered without checking the caller ID."Mr. Munroe? This is Sunshine General Hospital. Your wife has been in an accident."The dish he was holding slipped from his fingers and shattered in the sink. "What? Is she okay?""She's stable. Room 304. But you should come quickly."Alex didn't remember grabbing his jacket or running out the door. He didn't remember the taxi ride or thrusting money at the driver with shaking hands. All he remembered was the fear, cold and sharp.When he burst through the door of room 304, Nora was sitting on the examination bed. A white bandage wrapped around her forehead, stark against her dark hair. Her face was pale, and her eyes distant."Nora!" Alex rushed to her side, reaching for her hand.She pulled away before he could touch her. "I'm fine.""What happened? Are you hurt anywher

"Three years!" Vincent's voice trembled with emotion. "Mr. Munroe, we've been waiting, hoping you would return. Where have you been?""That doesn't matter right now." Alex kept his voice low, aware of the people passing in the hospital corridor. "Vincent, I need your help with something urgent.""Anything, sir. Just name it.""There's a man named David Parker at Hartwell Industries. He assaulted my wife and now he's filing a lawsuit against her. I need that lawsuit withdrawn and I need him to issue a formal apology. Can you handle that?"There was a brief pause. Then Vincent's voice returned, crisp and professional. "Consider it done, Mr. Munroe. I'll have our legal team begin immediately. Parker will regret ever touching Mrs. Munroe.""Good. But Vincent, I need you to keep my identity confidential for now. No announcements or publicity. Can you do that?""Of course. May I ask why the secrecy?"Alex glanced back at Nora's hospital room door. "Because I need to know who my real allies

Alex followed Derek down the hallway toward the study. His footsteps were silent on the Persian rugs that lined the marble floors. Ahead, Derek walked with the confidence of someone who belonged here, who had never questioned his place in this world.They reached the heavy oak doors of the study. Derek knocked twice and entered without waiting for a response."Grandfather, he's here."Thomas Davis sat behind a massive mahogany desk like a king on his throne. He was seventy-eight years old, silver-haired and sharp-eyed, his face weathered by decades of ruthless business dealings. Catherine and Richard sat in chairs facing him, their expressions grave."Alex." Thomas didn't stand, or offer a handshake. "Sit down."There was only one chair left, positioned directly in front of the desk. Lower than Thomas's chair, designed to make visitors feel small. Alex sat, maintaining eye contact."I'll get straight to the point," Thomas said. "You're a cancer in this family. You've been a burden sin

Alex returned to the Davis mansion just after noon. The house was quiet, most of the family out on their usual routines. He found Nora in the garden, sitting on a bench beneath an old oak tree."May I join you?" he asked.She looked up, startled. "Of course."He sat beside her, maintaining a respectful distance. The flowers around them were in full bloom, carefully tended by the groundskeeper Thomas employed."Thank you," Nora said quietly. "For whatever you did with Parker.""I told you I would handle it.""But how? Alex, I've been thinking about this all morning. You don't have connections at Hartwell Industries. You don't have money for lawyers. So how did you make this happen?"Alex considered his answer carefully. "Sometimes it's not about what you have. It's about what you know and who you talk to.""That's not an answer.""It's the only one I can give right now."Nora turned to face him fully. "Are you in trouble? Did you do something illegal?""No. Nothing illegal. I promise."

Alex sat in the Davis kitchen for twenty minutes before footsteps echoed down the hallway. He straightened, expecting Catherine or Richard.Instead, Derek appeared in the doorway, a smirk playing on his lips."Still here? I thought you'd have packed your bags by now."Alex kept his voice neutral. "I live here, Derek.""Not for much longer." Derek opened the wine fridge and selected a bottle that probably cost more than Alex's supposed monthly income. "Nora's coming home tomorrow. The family thinks it would be... awkward if you're still around.""Nora and I need to talk.""About what? The divorce is happening, Alex. Accept it." Derek poured himself a glass, not offering one to Alex. "You know what's funny? I actually warned Nora about you three years ago. Told her you were probably after her money. She called me paranoid."Alex's jaw tightened. "I never wanted her money.""No, you just wanted to live off it. Free rent, free food, a rich wife to support you while you played house." Derek