“You don’t understand. The people I owe money to — they found me. They beat me. They said if I don’t have the money by tomorrow, they’ll break my legs. Or worse. You have millions. You can make this go away!”

“I could,” I agreed softly. Hope flared in his bloodshot eyes.

“You will? Emily, I know I messed up. I lost my mind. Vanessa manipulated me, I swear. But we have kids — Lily, Noah! You can’t let the father of your children get killed over a bad business deal!”

I stood slowly and walked toward him, my heels clicking against the hardwood, until I stood over the man who’d tried to steal my life, my home, and my freedom.

“You tried to send me to federal prison, Daniel,” I said, my voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

“You forged my name on three million dollars of illegal debt. You packed my bags and threw me on the street so you could sleep with another woman in my bed. You didn’t think about Lily and Noah when you tried to leave their mother destitute and facing a felony.”