The house on Magnolia Lane still smelled of white roses, expensive champagne, and the vanilla scent of a five-tiered wedding cake that had cost more than my first car.

At 9:45 AM, the glass atrium of the Charleston Civic Center was buzzing with local media, city officials, and real estate investors. Banners bearing the logo of Apex Development Group hung from the balconies.

In the center of the room, standing beside a small podium, was Daniel.

Through the feed on my laptop in the Dewees Island study, I watched him. He looked exhausted. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes, and his hair—usually meticulously styled—was slightly unkempt. His tailored navy suit looked rumpled, as if he had slept in his car.

Beside him, sitting in the front row of folding chairs, was Victoria Vance.

She looked immaculate, despite the dramatic narrative Daniel was undoubtedly telling himself. She wore oversized sunglasses, a cream silk trench coat, and held a leather handbag that cost more than a small car. She looked less like a victim fleeing abuse and more like a woman who had just checked into a five-star resort. She was whispering to Daniel, touching his forearm, leaning into his space.

Daniel checked his phone every thirty seconds. Sweating under the bright television lights.

"He's tried calling your personal line twenty-three times," Clara reported, standing beside my desk. "He also called your father's office."

"What did Dad say?"

"Your father told his secretary to inform Mr. Brooks that Mr. Mercer is currently on a hunting trip in New Zealand and cannot be reached until next month." Clara smiled thinly. "He added that any further calls would be treated as corporate harassment."

At 10:00 AM sharp, the microphone at the podium squealed. The President of the Charleston Commerce Board stepped up.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," the speaker announced. "Today marks a massive milestone for our historic downtown. We are gathered for the final approval of the forty-two million dollar Broad Street Commercial Center, led by Apex Development’s lead project manager, Mr. Daniel Brooks!"

A wave of applause broke through the room. Daniel forced a smile, stepping up to the microphone, adjusting his tie.

"Thank you, everyone," Daniel began, his voice quivering slightly before he caught his professional tone. "This project represents three years of hard work, vision, and partnership. We are ready to break ground next Monday, bringing over two hundred jobs to—"

Suddenly, the side doors of the atrium opened.

A tall, sharp-featured woman in an iron-gray suit stepped inside, flanked by two men in dark suits carrying leather briefcases. It was Evelyn Reed, Chief Legal Counsel for Mercer Global Holdings.

The room fell quiet as Evelyn walked directly down the center aisle, her heels clicking rhythmically against the polished marble floor.

"I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Mayor," Evelyn said, her voice carrying clearly without the aid of a microphone. "But as lead counsel for Mercer Global Holdings, I am required to deliver an official notice to the board."

Daniel froze at the podium. "Evelyn? What are you doing here? This is an Apex presentation. Mercer Global is just an advisory—"

"Mercer Global Holdings acquired one hundred percent of Apex Development three months ago, Mr. Brooks," Evelyn stated coolly, reaching into her briefcase and pulling out a thick sheaf of legal documents. "And as of 6:00 AM this morning, Mercer Global has formally terminated its capital backing for the Broad Street Commercial Center."

Gasps rippled through the audience. Reporters immediately raised their cameras, flashes strobing against the high glass ceiling.

"What?" Daniel’s face drained of color. "That—that's impossible! I signed the developer agreements! The funding is locked!"

"The funding was conditional upon the executive review of the primary shareholder, Hannah Mercer," Evelyn replied, handing a copy of the termination order to the bewildered Mayor. "Ms. Mercer has reviewed the project's management, cited gross conflict of interest and breach of fiduciary duty, and pulled the capital. Furthermore..."

Evelyn turned her piercing gaze directly onto Daniel.

"...Mr. Daniel Brooks has been relieved of his position as Lead Project Manager, effective immediately, pending a full forensic audit of company credit lines and asset usage over the last forty-eight hours."

Daniel gripped the edges of the podium, his knuckles turning stark white. "Where is Hannah? Let me talk to Hannah! This is a personal matter! She can't do this!"

"This is not a personal matter, Mr. Brooks," Evelyn said smoothly, stepping back toward the exit. "This is business. You have two hours to clear your personal belongings from your office at Apex. Security has been instructed to escort you from the building at 12:00 PM sharp."

Victoria stood up from her front-row seat, her mouth slightly open, her glamorous composure cracking. "Daniel... what is she talking about? Who is Hannah Mercer?"

Daniel didn't answer her. He pulled out his phone with trembling hands, dialing my number once again right there in front of the flashing news cameras.

On my screen, forty miles away on Dewees Island, I watched his name light up my phone.