“Your legacy is crumbling,” Marcus said, looking up from the papers. “And you are facing federal investigation for what you did to the company accounts.”

Vivian did not flinch, but her fingers gripped her leather handbag so tightly her knuckles turned white.

She knew she was cornered.

The authorities were closing in on her financial fraud, and this custody battle was her final, desperate shield.

If she held the children, she held the key to the family trust, and she knew it.

“We will see who the judge believes,” Vivian said.

She turned on her heel and walked toward the study, the click of her heels sharp against the floor.

Garrett stared after her, then looked at me, his eyes filled with a strange, helpless regret.

“Clara, I didn’t know she was going to do this,” Garrett said.

“You never know anything, Garrett,” I said.

I turned away from him and looked at Marcus.

“We need to get back to Chicago,” I said. “We need to prepare.”

“We have to leave now,” Marcus agreed, pulling out his phone again. “I need my team to pull every record we have.”