The morning sun broke over the city, casting sharp amber light across the glass towers, but inside the executive suite of Vance Logistics, the atmosphere felt as dark and freezing as a tomb. Gregory Vance sat behind his massive mahogany desk, staring blankly at his computer screen while his phone buzzed incessantly with frantic calls from board members, investors, and federal investigators.The security footage of the failed hit squad had made its way straight to the city police department and major news outlets within hours. The Vances could no longer hide behind corporate spin or bribed officials. Hiring armed mercenaries to assault a private citizen in his home was a federal crime, and the authorities were already moving in to freeze their remaining assets.“It’s over,” Victoria whispered, her voice hollow as she stood by the window, watching two federal vehicles pull up to the front entrance of the building. “The board has abandoned us. The banks have locked our accounts. And the

The morning breeze rustled through the overgrown vines of the Vance estate, carrying with it the bitter scent of total defeat. Sophie stood frozen on the gravel path, her legs trembling so violently she could barely keep her balance. The man standing before her—sharp-eyed, terrifyingly calm, and draped in wealth—was no longer the mysterious high-stakes gambler she had tried to charm at the gala. He was the ghost she and her family had left to rot in a dark, freezing shed months ago."Carlos...?" Sophie choked out, the name tearing past her lips like a jagged piece of glass. Her eyes darted from his cold, unyielding face to the sleek luxury sedan where Nora sat safely behind tinted windows. "How... how are you alive? We broke your legs! We left you with nothing!"Leo didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. Every step he took toward her carried the crushing weight of a relentless avalanche. "You thought a pair of broken knees and a locked door could erase a human life, Sophie? You bu