“The federal prosecutor has everything they need,” Julian said, his eyes fixed on the folder. “The Whitmores won’t be coming back.”

“And your family?” I asked quietly. “The shipping company?”

Julian looked up, his gaze steady and clear.

“The old ways are finished, Claire,” he said. “They have to be.”

He tapped the leather folder with one finger.

“I’ve spent the last three hours on the phone with my attorneys in New York,” he continued.

“I’m restructuring the entire maritime division,” he said, his voice dropping to a confidential tone. “We are going entirely legitimate.”

I watched him, wondering what this meant for Emma and me, whether we would have to pack our things and find a new place to hide.

Julian seemed to read my thoughts.

“I want you to stay,” he said simply.

He opened the folder, revealing several official documents stamped with legal seals.

“I’ve established a secure, irrevocable trust for Emma,” Julian said, pointing to the first page. “It will cover her education, her housing, and her future, completely independent of me or this estate.”