The radiator clanked as it sputtered to life, doing little to chase the morning chill. The oatmeal boiled over. She cursed under her breath, quickly removing the pot and wiping the spill wi

s penthouse, watching the rain streak down the windows as Nico debriefed him. "Her name's Joan Rivers," Nico said, laying a file on the table. "Part-time physician's assistant at Saint Mercy. Caregiver for her mother, who suffered a stroke in 2023. Lives in a rent-controlled building in Midtown West. Clean record. No connections to anyone... unusual." Edward flipped open the file. The photo showed Joan in her hospital scrubs, her face serious, hair pulled back. The same quiet determination he'd noticed from the SUV was captured even in the still image. "And?" Edward asked. "She's clean. Struggling, but clean." Edward studied the file in silence. "I want her protected." "From what?" "From the world." Nico frowned. "You sure about this? Pulling her in could attract attention." Edward's eyes never left the photo. "She's not a liability. She's a puzzle." "Boss..." Edward cut him off. "Put Ava on it. Discreetly. Offer help with her mother. In return, we get her eyes on the inside. She doesn't need to know anything beyond the patient file." Nico tilted his head. "You want her to be your doctor?" "For now," Edward said. "Just keep it quiet." ⸻ Joan spent the morning battling her instincts. Every part of her screamed that this was a mistake-that people didn't just swoop in and offer you miracles unless they wanted something in return. And yet... what was the alternative? Watching her mother fade away slowly? Drowning in unpaid bills and exhausting hours? By afternoon, another call came. This time, from a local service offering to send a home health nurse free of charge for the evening. The rep even knew her mother's medical needs in shocking detail. Joan stood in the hallway, stunned. "Who told you to call me?" "We were referred by a foundation," the rep replied smoothly. "The arrangement is fully sponsored. No strings attached." No strings? Joan didn't believe that for a second. But the nurse a