Alina’s POV
I would not physically confront her. That would be reckless. No. This had to be surgical, precise, and unseen.
By mid-afternoon, Leo was awake and happily constructing a fortress from blocks. I watched him, my chest tightening with affection and fear.
His innocence was a fragile thing. Every plan, every move I made, was to protect it.
I knelt beside him. “Leo,” I said softly, “do you want to help Mama with a game?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yes!”
I smiled, ruffling his hair. “It’s a special kind of hide-and-seek. We’re going to pretend we’re invisible for a little while, okay?”
He grinned. “Invisible! Like ghosts?”
“Exactly,” I said. “Ghosts who watch carefully.”
Even play could be preparation.
I spent the next hours arranging the false trail. An anonymous tip to one of Li
