The morning after Alistair's desperate visit, I woke with a strange sense of clarity. His pathetic attempt to buy my mother's bracelet had solidified something within me—a determination to stop merely reacting to the chaos he created and start taking control.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Vera.
"Morning, sunshine," she answered, her voice unusually chipper for the early hour. "Please tell me you called to share juicy gossip about throwing Alistair out on his ass yesterday."
"Better," I said. "I need your help with something important."
"I'm listening."
"It's about my aunt Liana. Her husband is trying to force her out of their family business." I sat up in bed, fully awake now. "She needs investors to buy back shares and maintain control."
Vera didn't hesitate. "How much does she need?"
I told her the figure, and there was a brief silence.
"That's... substantial," she finally said. "But not impossible. My family knows people who might be interested."
