Marcus glanced down at his tablet, his thumb scrolling through a screen of green data. “The same person who has been keeping tabs on your wife for the last four years.”

My heart hammered against my ribs, the sound loud in my ears. “Elaine.”

Marcus looked up at me, a faint, cold smile touching the corners of his mouth. “Dr. Brooks is a very practical woman, Nora.”

“She helped me,” I said, my voice trembling as the betrayal settled in my chest. “She helped me hide from Damon.”

“She helped you disappear because she was paid to keep you out of sight,” Marcus said.

“Who paid her?” Damon growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous register.

“Your competitors at Apex Holdings,” Marcus said. “They didn’t want you finding your heir until they were ready to use him.”

I felt the room tilt slightly, and I reached out to steady myself against the edge of the metal desk.

“Leo,” I whispered. “They wanted Leo.”

“They wanted the leverage,” Marcus corrected. “A secret child is a powerful weapon in a corporate takeover.”