“Dear Ava, we appreciate your interest, but we cannot proceed with your candidacy at this time.”

I deleted the email.

Then I opened my laptop and logged into my bank portal.

The balance on my checking account read zero.

The savings account, which had held thirty thousand dollars of my own earnings from my teaching days, was locked.

A red banner appeared across the top of the screen: *Account suspended. Contact customer service.*

I closed the laptop with a sharp snap.

Elias was doing this systematically.

He was cutting off every exit, every avenue of survival.

The phone began to ring in my hand.

The caller ID showed Daniel Carter’s name.

I hesitated, then answered.

“Daniel,” I said.

“Ava,” his voice was quiet, almost conspiratorial. “Are you somewhere safe?”

“I’m at my apartment,” I said, sitting on the edge of the mattress. “Why?”

“Elias is in a boardroom meeting right now,” Daniel said. “He just instructed the legal team to file injunctions against your personal assets.”

“He already did,” I said. “My accounts are frozen. The museum canceled my interview.”