“This will destroy them,” I whispered, feeling a strange mix of relief and sorrow.

“They destroyed themselves when they targeted you, Emily,” Daniel said gently.

He turned back to his screen, adjusting his glasses.

“I need about three more hours to double-check the cross-references,” he said.

“The prosecutor’s office needs this in their hands by 9:00 AM to present it to the judge.”

I stood up and walked to the window, needing a moment to breathe.

The rain was starting to fall harder now, drumming a steady rhythm against the glass.

Through the darkness, I could see the faint outline of our flagship downtown restaurant.

The neon sign was dark, but the building still stood as a monument to what my grandmother had built.

My phone buzzed in my coat pocket, the vibration startling me.

I pulled it out, expecting a furious call from Brooke or my mother.

Instead, the screen displayed an unknown number.

I slid my thumb across the glass and put the phone to my ear, my heart rate spiking.

“Emily,” a voice whispered.

It was a woman’s voice, raspy and weak, but instantly recognizable.