and unnerving: "Do you know who your father is dealing with?" For a moment, she thought it might be spam, bu

Some roads don't lead back.

what exactly did they know about her father? The previous night's tension between h

ply. Instead, she closed her laptop and tried to push th

ves. Maybe something she'd written had caught someone's atten

s ago as a way to challenge the corrupt systems that thrived on fear and violence. Her most popula

te businesses as fronts for illegal activities. She'd referenced several notorious families but had avoided naming the

's recent dealings weren't just about financial struggles? What if he

rofessor and an old family friend who had known her father for decades

s and antiques. He greeted her warmly, offe

dy," he said, his perce

s about my dad. Have you noticed...

w furrowed.

. And I think he's dealing

n the strongest can bend under pressure. The Aurelius family... they're not the kind o

ger?" Wendy asked, her vo

orried about. If you're not careful, Wendy, t

ent a chill d

fore making her move. Her father's study was locked,

ong for her to find something unusual: a stack of financial documents hidden in the bottom drawer. The numbe

contacts, no call history, but the text messages to

ching. Don't ma

phone back. Her father wasn't jus

d at her office. He leaned casually against t

d, stepping inside without

arms. "What do y

oice low. "You're poking around in p

her threat?"

father is tangled up in something dangerous. And whet

what you know,

say is this: my father has plans. And you... you

at it and cursed under his breath. "I have to go. But remember

endy with more que

in the study, staring out the window. His shoul

ng inside. "I know something's

ary. "Wendy, you don't understand.

ed, her voice trembling. "Do you thi

"You don't know what it's like to have no options," h

sed to let them fall. "There's always anot

turning away. "It's

ldn't let her help, she'd find a way to help him anyway. She w