The morning after the heist at the clock tower, a deceptive calm settled over the capital. While Alexander rested under the care of Housekeeper Martha—his shoulder tightly wrapped beneath crisp linen—Evelyn sat at the heavy mahogany desk in her private suite, surrounded by the contents of Caspian’s stolen crimson ledger.
Spread before her were non-disclosure contracts, forged bills of lading, and promissory notes. With the ledger in her possession, Evelyn held the master key to every secret financial lifeline supporting Julian Mercer’s lavish lifestyle.
Julian’s family business, Mercer Imperial Shipping, was already hemorrhaging capital following the scandal of his broken betrothal. To maintain the illusion of solvency, Julian had quietly secured massive, short-term loans from the Iro
