The words left Caleb Voss's mouth before his mind had fully caught up with his eyes. "Who let you in here?"

The afternoon of Elsie’s eighth birthday was the warmest day Chicago had seen in three years.

The south lawn of the Lake Forest estate looked like a scene from a storybook. White canvas tents dotted the grass, paper lanterns hung from the old oak trees, and the loud, joy-filled laughter of twenty children echoed off the stone facade of the house.

Jonah Pike stood near the bouncy castle, wearing an oversized party hat that looked completely ridiculous against his broad, scarred forehead, happily handing out ice cream cones to Elsie’s schoolmates.

On the patio, Dominic Vance sat at a wrought-iron table with Federal Prosecutor Sarah Lin, sharing a plate of grilled food and discussing the final legal dissolution of Paul Voss’s offshore entities.

Caleb Voss stood on the upper terrace, leaning against the stone balustrade, watching the scene below.

He felt a light touch at his waist.

He looked down to see Elsie standing beside him. She wore a bright yellow summer dress, a crown of daisies in her hair, and her shoes were completely covered in green grass stains.

"You're not down at the party, birthday girl," Caleb said, leaning down to scoop her up easily, setting her on the broad stone ledge so they were at eye level.

"Mama said I should bring you this," Elsie said, holding out a small paper plate with a thick slice of chocolate birthday cake. "The first piece is always for the master of the house. That's a rule."

Caleb took the plate with a genuine smile. "Is that right?"

"Yes," Elsie said solemnly. Then she reached into her small dress pocket and pulled out the brass pocket watch.

It was immaculate. The brass had been polished until it shone like pure gold in the afternoon sun, and the new leather strap hung neatly across her wrist.

Caleb looked at it, his expression growing warm. "Is it keeping good time, little one?"

Elsie held the watch up to her ear, listening to the steady, rhythmic tick-tick-tick of the mechanical gears inside.

"It ticks once for every second," Elsie said proudly. "Not fast. Not slow. Exactly right."

"That's how life should be," Caleb said softly, looking out over his estate, over the people he now considered his real family. "No hidden delays. No shadows."

Elsie looked at him with her large, intelligent blue eyes—eyes that possessed the same analytical brilliant spark that her father had passed down to her.

"Mr. Voss?"

"Yes, Elsie?"

"My daddy left me the watch so I would find you," she said softly. "Do you think he knew you would save us?"

Caleb looked at the child, feeling a sudden, deep swell of emotion in his chest that nearly took his breath away. He reached out, gently smoothing down a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"I think your daddy knew I needed saving too, Elsie," Caleb answered honestly. "He knew that a man sitting alone in a dark basement with a gun and a pile of money isn't really living. He sent you to wake me up."

Elsie wrapped her tiny arms around Caleb's neck, hugging him tight. Caleb closed his eyes, holding the child close, feeling the steady beat of her heart against his chest—a heart filled with pure, untainted hope.

Behind them, Mara stepped out onto the terrace, wearing a soft smile, watching her daughter embrace the man who had restored their lives.

"Cake time, Caleb!" Jonah shouted up from the lawn, waving a wooden spoon wildly in the air. "If you don't come down here, I'm eating the ice cream!"