Elena’s POV
Adrian didn’t speak after the message.
He stood at the desk with both hands flat on the wood, staring at the faded ledger pages. I stayed beside him, close enough that our shoulders touched. The only sound in the office was the low hum of the air system.
Cole cleared his throat. “I can dig further into the final transfer. The memo line is almost blank, but the receiving account had a short trail before it closed. Give me a few hours.”
Adrian nodded once without looking up. “Do it.”
We left the tower in silence. The car felt smaller than usual. Adrian drove with both hands on the wheel. I watched the city move past the window and tried not to count the years in missed birthdays and unanswered letters.
At the penthouse Leo ran to the door the moment it opened, puzzle book u
