I had only $43 left when a champagne glass came flying toward a terrified little boy.

The next morning, the sun broke over the snow-capped pine trees surrounding the estate.

Evelyn woke up in a luxurious guest suite on the second floor. For the first time in three years, she wasn't waking up to the blaring alarm of a third job or the crushing anxiety of overdue medical bills.

Sitting on the edge of her bed was Leo, wearing warm flannel pajamas, holding a small silver tray with a single croissant and a cup of tea.

"I brought you breakfast, Evie," Leo said proudly, balancing the tray carefully.

Evelyn smiled warmly, sitting up and helping him set the tray down. "Thank you, sweetie. You're very brave."

"Daddy said I have to be brave," Leo murmured, looking down at his small slippers. "He said bad people tell lies."

"Do you believe your daddy?" Evelyn asked gently.

Leo hesitated, his small fingers twisting the hem of his shirt. "Uncle Julian said Daddy put Mommy in the ground because she wanted to take me away. He said if I went back to Daddy, the shadow man would get me."

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed. Julian Moretti—Luca’s younger brother and the Chief Financial Officer of the Moretti Holdings conglomerate. She had seen Julian’s picture in the newspapers; he was the polished, charismatic face of the family's legitimate corporate ventures.

Before she could ask more, the bedroom door opened softly.

Luca walked in, wearing a dark navy wool coat over a crisp white shirt. His eyes swept over Leo, relieved to see the boy eating a piece of croissant with Evelyn.

"Dante found something," Luca spoke, his voice low and dangerous.

He gestured for Evelyn to follow him into the private hallway, leaving a trusted female bodyguard inside to watch Leo.

Standing in the study downstairs was Dante, holding a clear plastic evidence bag containing a dark blue electronic keycard recovered from the Plaza Hotel ballroom.

"This keycard was used to access the service elevator where Leo was released into the ballroom," Dante explained, turning his tablet toward Luca. "It belonged to a logistics manager employed by North Star Shipping."

Evelyn’s blood went cold. "North Star Shipping?"

Luca looked at her sharply. "You know that company?"

"My mother worked as a bookkeeper for North Star six years ago," Evelyn revealed, her heart pounding. "Right before she got sick, she told me she discovered a set of double-entry ledgers showing illegal offshore transfers. When she brought it to her boss... she was fired the next day without severance."