Mia clutched her phone tighter, her voice breaking into a stammer. "W-what… did you just say?"
"You heard me," Lewis said, his voice steady but edged with steel. "Either you cooperate with Christian and let him do his job—or I tell your father everything."
Her lips parted in disbelief, but all that came out was a breathless scoff. "You wouldn't dare."
"I would," he replied, unflinching. "Want proof? It's 5:05 a.m. here in New York. In three hours, I'll be at the office. You know how early your dad gets in."
Mia gave a dry, bitter laugh, though her stomach twisted painfully. "Lewis… don't do that. That's low. That's really low."
"I don't want to," he said gently. "But I will. I'm not trying to hurt you, Mia. I'm trying to protect you—even if you won't protect yourself."
She bit down o
