جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 177

*Alex’s POV*My father’s former solicitor looked down at the file he had pulled from the desk, running one finger along the edge as though buying himself time.“Mr. Ashford.”Bella’s posture changed by barely an inch, but I had known her long enough to notice when she became more alert.“Evelyn’s father?” she asked.“Yes.”I looked at the solicitor. “Why would my father refer to him as A.S.?”“He didn’t; Harding did.”Bella stepped closer to the desk. “Explain.”The solicitor opened the file and removed several printed pages.“These are copies of handwritten meeting notes from the Ashford negotiations. Your father dictated most of his private notes to me after meetings because he preferred keeping his own record of what had been discussed. Whenever Harding mentioned Mr. Ashford, he referred to him as ‘A.S.’ or sometimes simply ‘Ashford Senior.’”Chloe moved beside Bella. “May I?”The solicitor handed her the pages.Bella did not take her eyes off him.“Was Mr. Ashford directly involve

Bella’s POVHarris called back twenty minutes later.“I have already started checking,” he said. “There has been no public reporting connecting you to the children.”“School records?”“Protected.”“Property?”“Nothing obvious.”“Social media?”“You have been careful.”Careful was an understatement. I had spent years keeping my professional life separate from my children because I represented people whose disputes occasionally attracted reporters. Their names did not belong in newspapers because their mother happened to stand beside wealthy clients in court.“Could Ashford have hired someone?”“Easily.”“Find out.”“I will.”I ended the call as Chloe entered, carrying a packet of documents.“Evelyn’s lawyers filed something.”I took it.“What?”“A counterclaim and an application.”I read the first page, then the second.By the fourth, I understood exactly what Evelyn was doing.“She is alleging Alex concealed marital assets.”“Yes.”“She wants restrictions placed on his control of Kin

Bella’s POV I called Caleb after I called Clara. She had an emergency at work and left the children with Daniel. He answered, “Mum, I did not talk to her.” “I know.” “Daniel told us to get into the car.” “You did exactly the right thing.” “She knew my name.” My fingers tightened around the phone. “Did she touch you?” “No.” “Did she follow you?” “No.” “Did she photograph you?” “I think so.” I closed my eyes briefly and pressed my thumb against my temple. The thought of a stranger standing close enough to my son to know his name, close enough to lift a camera and make him part of a story he did not understand, made it difficult to keep my voice even. “Mum?” “I am here.” “Who is Alex Kings?” There was no careful answer left. Someone else had already opened the door I had spent years keeping closed, and now my children were standing on the other side of it without me. “I need to explain that to you properly.” “Is he the man from the picture?” “Yes

Chapter 176Bella’s POVDaniel’s phone remained in my hand while I read the headline again.Caleb standing closest to the camera with his school bag over one shoulder. Noah looking toward something outside the frame. Lily holding Evie’s hand. None of them smiling.The photograph had been taken recently. That was the detail I could not ignore.“Mum?” Caleb asked.I locked Daniel’s phone and handed it back to him.“Give me a minute.”His eyes moved immediately toward the screen.“What happened?”“Nothing you need to worry about yet.”“That means something happened.”“Yes.”Caleb folded his arms.I almost told him to stop doing that, then remembered exactly where he had learned the habit.From me.“Is it about us?” Lily asked.I looked at her. “Yes.”Noah stood. “What did they say?”“Sit down.”He did, reluctantly.Daniel remained where he was, watching me carefully.I picked up my own phone; there were eight missed calls.Four from Chloe, two from Alex, one from Clara. One from an unkno