ログインScarlett's POV I looked at my son."Dizzy how?' my voice came out completely steady. Aiden looked at the windshield. "Like the field was moving a little," he said. "When I sat down. But it stopped.""When did it start?" I asked."At the end," he said. "When I came off. It was just for a second." He looked at me. "I'm fine now.""Have you felt like this before?" I asked.He thought about it. "Maybe once," he said. "Last week after the run in PE. But it went away really fast."I looked at his face. His color was normal. His eyes were clear. He was sitting up straight in the seat with the easy posture of someone who felt fine."Any pain?""No," he said. "Mom, I'm fine. I just got hot probably.""It's too cold to feel hot," I said."I was running," his voice was flat. "You get hot when you run."I looked at him for a moment longer."Drink some water," I said. "The rest of the bottle."He drank all of it and pulled a face at the last mouthful because it had gone warm.Outside the car N
Scarlett's POV I rearranged my afternoon at noon.I had a consult at three that Lauren moved without asking why. She just looked at my face when I asked and moved it. That was the thing about Lauren, she knew when not to ask.I got to the field at two forty five.Practice started at three. I sat on the sideline bench in my coat and watched the boys warm up and told myself I was here because I wanted to see the Danny development in real time before Saturday's game. That was a completely reasonable reason to rearrange an afternoon.I watched Aiden cross the field at a jog and told myself that was the only reason.Sage Marie appeared beside me at five past three.I looked at her.She sat down on the bench and unwrapped a scarf from around her neck and looked at the field. "Spencer mentioned practice," she said. "I thought I'd come.""Spencer isn't here," I said."He had a call with Dominic," she said. "Something about Korea." She looked at the field. "He said you were coming though."I
Scarlett's POV I woke up at five fourteen.Not the alarm. Just me, staring at the ceiling in the dark with Nicholas's question sitting in the room the same way it had been sitting there since last night.Would you be willing to see her?Spencer was asleep beside me. His breathing slow and even. I lay there for a few minutes looking at the ceiling and then I got up carefully and found my robe and went to the kitchen.The apartment was completely quiet.I put the coffee on and stood at the garden window while it brewed. The garden was still dark outside, just the shape of it visible in the early morning, the bare patch where the sunflowers were supposed to go still waiting. Valeria's plan was on the fridge behind me. Nine color codes. Everything mapped out and ready. Just waiting for the right time.I looked at the bare dirt and thought about Emma at the dinner table. Her hands pressed together in her lap when Konrad spoke. The specific stillness of a woman who had learned a long time
Scarlett's POVThe kitchen smelled like fresh toast and coffee when Aiden came in. I was packing lunches, when I caught it. He moved slower than usual, shoulders a little rounded, like the weight of his backpack was already too much."Good morning," I said."Morning." His voice came out flat. He crossed to the table and sat down and put both hands on the surface and looked at them.I watched him from the counter."You okay?" I said."Yeah." He didn't look up. "Just tired.""Did you sleep?""I think so." He pressed his fingers against the table like he was checking the surface. "My head hurts a little."I set the lunch box down."Since when?" I asked."Since I woke up." He finally looked at me. "It's not bad. Just there."I looked at his face. He seemed a little pale. Not enough for most people to notice, but I noticed. I always noticed things like that. Being both a surgeon and a mother made it impossible not to."Have some water," I said. "Before anything else."He got up and filled
Calista's POV The line rang twice before a deep, calm voice answered. “Hello, this is Michael Reid.”“Michael, it’s Calista Lancaster." I said. "We met at the charity gala two years ago. I need your help. Now. Off the books. Completely independent.”He paused for a moment. No surprise in his tone.“Calista. I remember. Give me a moment.” I heard a door close on his end. “I’m alone now. Speak freely, but carefully. What’s the situation?”“I’m in deep mess." I paced faster. "Ten years ago, my sister was in a car accident. Drove off the road into a river. It wasn’t random. Someone wanted her gone. The investigation got buried fast. Now she’s back, alive, powerful, and building a federal case. My family’s name is all over it and someone close just walked out of the estate this morning. She’s talking. I need options. Real ones.”Daniel exhaled slowly, the sound of a man who had heard worse but still took it seriously. “Alright." He said calmly. "Start from the beginning. Keep it high-lev
Calista's POV My phone buzzed on the marble island while I was pouring a second glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The number was one of the estate’s housekeeping extensions,the older woman who handled Mother’s linens. I almost ignored it. Staff calls were usually trivial. But something in the timing, right after Father’s tense family meeting last night, made me swipe to answer.“Miss Calista,” the woman said, voice hushed like she was speaking from inside a closet. “I thought you should know. Mrs. Emma left the estate this morning. With Master Nicholas. He drove her himself. They took a small bag from the east wing. She didn’t say when she’d be back.”I set the wine bottle down too hard. Red liquid sloshed onto the counter. “What do you mean, left?" I asked. "Like a trip? Doctor’s appointment?”“No, miss. It wasn’t planned." She said quietly. "He showed up unannounced, walked with her in the garden, and then they were gone. Your father said ‘fine’ at breakfast and that was all. The whole h







