By Monday, Harper Bennett Legal occupied half a floor in Falco Tower. She refused Roman’s offer of free space and insisted on paying market rent. She hired Sarah as operations director, brought two trusted associates from her former firm, and contracted an independent forensic accounting team.

Roman did not interfere. He visited once each morning, placed black coffee on Harper’s desk, and asked one question. “What do you need?” Sometimes the answer was banking records.

Sometimes it was zoning archives. Once, at two in the morning, Harper told him she needed silence, and he disappeared for six hours without argument.

The more she studied Connor’s business, the uglier it became. Hayes Equity Partners had borrowed against three commercial buildings through one lender, then transferred controlling interests to shell companies and used the same buildings to secure additional loans elsewhere.

The signatures were Connor’s. But several shell companies listed Paige as their principal owner.

“She’s his shield,” Harper said during a late-night meeting. “If investigators uncover the fraud, the documents lead to her.”