The lake house loomed ahead, a modern silhouette nestled among tall pines and a winding shoreline. Adriana had never been there before, but Marco moved with the familiarity of a man who’d used the place as a refuge—a safe haven when the world threatened to close in. Today, however, it didn’t feel safe at all.
The late afternoon sun cast a warm amber hue over the still water, but the air was heavy with tension. Marco shut off the ignition and sat in silence for a moment, his hand gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary.
Adriana looked at him. “You think the Ledger’s really here?”
Marco’s jaw ticked. “If Delgado was hiding anything personal, it would be somewhere only he felt secure. He built this place for weekends with his mistresses—no business records, no family photos. Jus
