Mag-log inScarlett's POV The conference room smelled like burnt coffee and old printer toner.I sat at the long table with the sealed evidence box in front of Ashfield. Nicholas was two chairs down, elbows on the wood, the same exhausted focus he’d worn since last night still sitting on his face while Spencer stood near the wall, arms folded, quiet but present. Richard had a laptop open and a legal pad already half-covered in notes.Ashfield broke the evidence tape with a clean snap. She opened the box and began laying the folders out in careful order, one after another, like she was building something that couldn’t be taken apart again.“These are foundation formation documents,” she said. “Dated eleven years ago with everything we've got. Pre-accident. Daniel Jackson’s signature chain across the corporate shells and the contingency structure. Medical payment records tied to Harris’s reconstructive surgery, drawn from the same pre-loaded account. The authorization and transfer that show Calis
Scarlett's POV Emma didn’t answer right away.She looked at Nicholas first, then at the pages spread across the table, then finally at me.“If I do this,” she said, “Konrad will know I betrayed him.”“He already knows you left him,” I answered quietly.“Leaving him and standing against him are two very different things.” her voice was low."You’ve already been standing against him by keeping those files," I kept my voice steady. “By walking out, sitting here tonight and putting them on this table. Testifying is just the part that makes it count for more than the three of us in this room.”Nicholas stayed silent beside the doorway, while Spencer hadn’t moved from his spot near the wall. Ashfield and Richard watched without interrupting.Emma’s gaze dropped to the payment authorization again, the one with Calista’s name and the date that sat weeks before the river. “I spent eleven years telling myself silence was the only way to keep anyone safe,” she said. “It didn’t keep anyone safe
Scarlett's POV "Spencer," I said immediately the call ended He looked up from the kitchen counter, the low light caught the edge of the glass he’d been holding. “Nicholas’s mother kept copies," I said sharply. "Everything we need to know and she's ready to turn them over." Spencer set the glass down. “Ashfield needs to know.” I was already dialing. The screen lit up in my fingers and Ashfield answered on the first ring. I put her on speaker. "Hello," her voice came out flat. "It's Scarlett, Nicholas just called." I said quickly. "He said his mother kept copies, documents, everything we need to know and she's ready to turn them over." There was a short pause on the other end. I could hear the faint click of a keyboard. “How long has she had them?” Ashfield asked. "A long time, she took them before she left the estate." I said. "She’s been holding them.” Spencer stayed still, watching the phone like it might say something else. "We're on our way, Richard's coming in on th
Nicholas's POV “What did you know, Mom?” I asked quietly.She looked at the floor for a long time, her hands were tight on the arms of the chair. “After the accident I knew something was wrong almost immediately," she said finally, voice low. "Your father didn't tell me anything, but he was already on the phone before the police had barely finished the first report and then he was telling everyone we needed to accept she was dead.""I remember that," I said leaning forward. "It was hours after she signed the divorce papers and I thought I'd killed her.""Yes, your father was..." She paused, shaking her head once. "He was organized, like the steps were already written down somewhere.""Did you ask him about it?" I asked. "If he was somehow involved?""I tried to," she said quietly. "He said certain things were family matters and shouldn't leave the house. Everytime I pushed, that was the answer, so after awhile I stopped pushing."She wiped under one eye with the side of her thumb.“
Nicholas's POV I turned around. My father stood in the doorway, one hand still on the frame, the other in his pocket. “I left a folder here,” I said calmly. “Contract notes. I need them for a call in the morning. The desk said you’d already gone.”He nodded once, like that settled it, and stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind him. He didn’t glance at the open drawers or the folders still on the desk. He just walked to the window and looked out at the city lights the way he always had.“How was Germany?” he asked."It was fine," I straightened up. "Long but productive enough.""I'm glad," My father stayed at the window, watching the city the way he always did when he was deciding how much interest to show. “Meetings went well?”“Well enough," I said calmly. "The usual back-and-forth. Nothing that couldn’t wait until I was back.”He gave short nod. I kept my hands loose at my sides and resisted the urge to glance at the open drawer behind me.“What about the children?” he asked
Nicholas's POV "I should go," I pushed the chair back. "I need sleep before I say something useless.""Okay," Scarlett nodded. "You should say goodbye to the kids first."The kids were already in the living room when I came in. Valeria had her pencils and a scarp of paper."Am done with the laundry," Aiden said when he saw us. "Dad can we watch the echo video now?""Sorry Aiden, I have to go." I said. "I'm pretty tired from the flight. "If I stay I'll start talking nonsense.""But you just got here," Aiden blinked repeatedly."I know," I said softly. "I promise I'll come back tomorrow and we'll watch the echo video."Aiden’s mouth pulled down. "You swear?""I swear," I said. "I’ll text when I’m on the way.""You shouldn't forget," Valeria looked up from the pencil. "He’ll wait by the window again.""I won’t forget." I ruffled Aiden’s hair and squeezed Valeria’s shoulder. "I'll walk you to the door," Scarlett said.We stepped out onto the landing and the evening air hit cooler than b







