LOGINMaverick POVI arrived fifteen minutes early.I had checked the address Patricia sent me the night before, confirmed the museum's opening hours, and planned the afternoon down to the smallest detail. Still, as I stood beside my car waiting for Oliver, I found myself wondering whether I had overlooked something important.It was only a few hours. A visit to the car museum, lunch, and then home.But to me, it felt like the beginning of something I had wanted for years.The front door opened, and Patricia stepped outside with Oliver beside her. He was dressed in jeans and a blue shirt, holding a small backpack.“Daddy!” he called.I smiled. “Hey, buddy.”He ran toward me, but slowed down just before reaching the car. I crouched to meet him.“Ready for our day?”“Yes!”I glanced at Patricia. She had a careful expression, the kind that reminded me she was allowing this because Oliver wanted it, not because she trusted me completely.“His water bottle is in the side pocket,” she said. “Ther
Maverick POVI arrived fifteen minutes early.I had checked the address Patricia sent me the night before, confirmed the museum's opening hours, and planned the afternoon down to the smallest detail. Still, as I stood beside my car waiting for Oliver, I found myself wondering whether I had overlooked something important.It was only a few hours. A visit to the car museum, lunch, and then home.But to me, it felt like the beginning of something I had wanted for years.The front door opened, and Patricia stepped outside with Oliver beside her. He was dressed in jeans and a blue shirt, holding a small backpack.“Daddy!” he called.I smiled. “Hey, buddy.”He ran toward me, but slowed down just before reaching the car. I crouched to meet him.“Ready for our day?”“Yes!”I glanced at Patricia. She had a careful expression, the kind that reminded me she was allowing this because Oliver wanted it, not because she trusted me completely.“His water bottle is in the side pocket,” she said. “Ther
Maverick POVI arrived fifteen minutes early.I had checked the address Patricia sent me the night before, confirmed the museum's opening hours, and planned the afternoon down to the smallest detail. Still, as I stood beside my car waiting for Oliver, I found myself wondering whether I had overlooked something important.It was only a few hours. A visit to the car museum, lunch, and then home.But to me, it felt like the beginning of something I had wanted for years.The front door opened, and Patricia stepped outside with Oliver beside her. He was dressed in jeans and a blue shirt, holding a small backpack.“Daddy!” he called.I smiled. “Hey, buddy.”He ran toward me, but slowed down just before reaching the car. I crouched to meet him.“Ready for our day?”“Yes!”I glanced at Patricia. She had a careful expression, the kind that reminded me she was allowing this because Oliver wanted it, not because she trusted me completely.“His water bottle is in the side pocket,” she said. “Ther
Patricia's POV I knew something was different when Oliver asked about his father before breakfast.Usually, the children talked about school, their games, or whatever project they had decided to build that day. Lately, though, Maverick had become a regular part of their conversations. They mentioned their video calls, the pictures he sent, and the little questions he remembered to ask them.I hadn't expected their interest to grow so quickly.“Mommy, when are we seeing Daddy again?” Oliver asked, sitting at the kitchen table with a spoon in his hand.I looked up from the lunch boxes I was preparing.“Why do you ask?”He shrugged. “I want to see him.”Mason nodded. “Me too. We always talk on the phone.”Ethan was busy spreading jam across his toast, but he joined in. “It would be better if he came here.”Clara looked at her brothers, then turned to me. “Can we see him, Mommy?”I placed the lunch box on the counter.Their questions were innocent. They weren't asking me to forgive Maver
Patricia's POV I thought the worst part of the investigation would be discovering how someone had gained access to Vanguard Design's files. I was wrong.The worst part was realizing that the altered blueprints might not have been the only thing someone wanted to compromise.I sat in my office, reading the preliminary report Rachel had sent that morning. The investigation had uncovered suspicious activity across several project folders, including files that had nothing to do with the technology tower. Those files hadn't been altered, but someone had accessed them without a clear business reason.I picked up my phone and called Daniel."Have you seen Rachel's report?""I'm looking at it now," he replied."Why are there access records for projects that weren't part of the original incident?""That's what we're trying to establish. The team found activity involving two older developments and one project we're preparing to present to a new client."I sat straighter. "Was anything changed?
Darbie's POV I had spent the last few days convincing myself that everything was under control.It was becoming harder to believe that.The news about Vanguard Design's investigation had spread beyond the company. Business partners were asking questions, employees were being interviewed, and an independent cybersecurity team had been brought in to examine the altered blueprints.I hadn't expected Patricia to act so quickly.I had assumed she would spend days trying to understand what had happened before taking serious action. Instead, she had suspended the affected files and brought in professionals who knew exactly where to look.That was not good for me.I sat in my living room, scrolling through the latest business updates on my phone when a headline caught my attention.Vanguard Design Launches Formal Investigation into Suspected Project File Interference.I read it twice before locking my screen."You're going to wear a hole in that phone if you keep staring at it."I looked up.







