“The board already knows there is an investigation,” Julian said.

He did not turn around to face her.

“They have been asking questions about the missing capital since the spring audit,” he said.

I noticed how Julian’s shoulders tensed as he spoke.

He was keeping secrets, even now.

There was a connection he wasn’t fully explaining yet, a link between his own investigations and my grandfather’s moves.

I looked at Vale.

The old lawyer nodded to me, a silent confirmation of our progress.

“The documents are legal, Mrs. Sterling,” Vale said. “I filed the copies with the federal court in Chicago two hours ago.”

Miranda sank into one of the leather armchairs, her face pale.

“You ruined us,” she whispered.

“You ruined yourself when you hid the truth,” I said.

I picked up the sapphire.

It was cold against my palm, a heavy piece of blue ice that had once belonged to my grandmother.

Julian turned back from the window.

“There is one more thing,” he said, looking at me.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, the low hum cutting through the tension in the room.