for Julian Thorne, the light brought exposure-not

her hands, watching the birds flutter through the morning mist. Her phone buzzed non

em scr

ose every secret Julian thought he could

den's article is being syndicated by every major

slightly. "

rson released a statement calling it

ed. "He's p

ed. "Predictable do

r grip on the cup tighteni

h her tablet and turn

nt in Brooklyn, just hours after they'd fled. Smoke.

arly buckled. "H

ing, but there's no doubt it was intentional. They used acc

he couch. "He's e

elaney said. "Which m

, her heart thudding painf

r eyes. "As fa

n's public perso

headquarters with signs bearing Sophia's name. But Julian remained unseen. No statements. No interviews. No sightings. Naomi knew better

wn Nu

ated. The

el

ilence... t

n's voice said, sm

Who is

would prefer to remain anonymous. B

dropped. "What k

re in danger. Walk away now,

e phone tightened.

much bigger than one man's empire. You d

over. "Then maybe it

hung

er from across the

ho wants m

d her head. "

er head. "No.

ed via encrypted video chat. S

nterviews with you," Eden said. "They

ic means full exposure. Juli

t harder for him to make you disappear. The mor

window again. "Let'

nate. And Naomi? You're doing somet

at tightened

tared at the notes Sophia had left behind. Her hand

d something she

lded in. She unfolded it to reveal a

e house. If anything h

heart

d, "does Julian own

n minutes, they found it. A cabin. Registered under a shell co

go," Na

her keys. "I'l

with tension so thick it nearly choked them. Naomi s

d at the cabin? Why

ong shadows across the water. The cabin looked peaceful, almost too pe

ghts inside. But the door was unlocked. Inside, dust hung in the air like forgotten memories

king for. Until she did. A faint buzzing came from behind a wall

till active. And tucked in the

sage. Sophia's voice crac

nd I have proof. If this message is found... I'm probably gone. But know this-I never took my own life.

turned to Delaney. "We're goi

es steely. "Then l

d green, and the door popped open with a soft hiss. Inside, folders were neatly s

ed manila envelope with Naomi's name on it. Nao

r and a photo. She unfolded the

om

se than you think. He's not just a liar. He's not just a thief. He's a trafficker. The W

mostly vulnerable-through that

e contains recordings, documents, and most damnin

s. Not family. And for the love of God, don't u

n if you must. Jus

op

gain, hoping she'd misunderstood. But she had

fingers went numb. Delaney picked it u

Terrified. In the background, the West

ed. "He wasn't laundering mone

rld shifted under her feet. "He used

aid. "To make you look compli

e fireplace hearth, the wei

ress. The affair." Her voice crack

"You're more than that n

losed h

release e

e, "-this could put him in prison for life. But if we drop it with

er eyes. "So w

get them out. The

by midnight. Eden called again,

, now working for an underground rescue network that assisted vict

gravel. "If what you say is true, we're interes

e camera toward

testimony, and names. Vict

en you just became very imp

ction team. Tonight. That facility in Jersey isn't

Carter said. "But if this goes sideways-if Thor

iew. "Then let's mak

Westhave

alf a mile away, eyes fixed on the GPS tracker Carter wore. One by on

d. Locked. Seda

laney squeezed her hand. Then chaos. G

hem. We're extracting but we've got

tires screeched near the tree

and limping, shov

G

floored

ght, away from the cha

e-she was shaking, bleed

aomi whispered. "

Undisclose

ing chip embedded under her collarbone. Carter's medi

y, the flash dr

ree gone before we got there.

ked up. "

s. We'll dig deeper. Burn every one

to put him awa

"If the right DA is willing to prosecute

d at Delaney

aid. "Let's go pub

eleased the second

orne: Empi

video footage, victim testimon

ents condemning Thorne. Multiple women came forward with eerily similar stories. A

nt. Julian Thorne had vanished. No public

10:3

. It was him. Seated in a dark

ur point. You've told your story. But don't think this is ov

eyes burned i

now? You're not. You're

een wen

on the phone. "We ne

stood

aid. "I'm n

ao

me he looks me in the eye

piece of Sophia's file. A list of shell companie

lace where it sta

It was July 12th. And she fi