By Friday morning, the custody hearing no longer felt like Marlo’s biggest problem.

That terrified her.

Catherine insisted they proceed.

“If you fail to appear,” she warned, “Preston can ask the judge to interpret that as instability.”

“My neighbor was attacked.”

“And we documented it.”

“Someone photographed my daughter.”

“Also documented.”

“And my father may have been murdered.”

Catherine removed her glasses.

“That one we are not bringing into family court without evidence.”

Marlo looked toward Elias.

He stood near the office window.

Catherine pointed at him.

“And he is not entering the courtroom unless I ask.”

Elias raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t control me.”

“I have represented three Marchettis.”

“And?”

“I survived all three.”

A faint smile touched his mouth.

“I like her,” Marlo muttered.

“So do I,” Elias said.

Catherine ignored them.

“Preston’s legal strategy is simple. He wants to portray Marlo as financially unstable and emotionally overwhelmed.”

“I am financially unstable and emotionally overwhelmed.”

“Do not say that to the judge.”

Marlo sighed.

Catherine continued.

“But you are also the parent who has handled every doctor’s appointment, every medication, every school meeting, every emergency-room visit, and every sleepless night.”

Her voice softened.

“That matters.”

At ten o’clock, Marlo entered court.

Preston was already there.

Robert sat beside him.

The lawyer saw Elias waiting in the hallway.

His face tightened.

During the hearing, Preston performed beautifully.

He spoke about regret.

Responsibility.

Second chances.

He claimed Marlo had discouraged him from contacting Poppy.

Catherine dismantled the claim with phone records.

Then Preston said something that made Marlo’s blood run cold.

“I recently discovered my daughter’s surgery may have been delayed due to financial problems.”

Catherine stood.

“Discovered how?”

Preston hesitated.

“My attorney obtained information.”

Robert immediately leaned toward him.

Too late.

Catherine saw it.

“So your legal team contacted the hospital?”

Robert stood.

“Objection.”

The judge looked annoyed.

“This is not trial.”

Catherine nodded.

“Understood.”

But Marlo knew.

Someone connected to Preston had made that call.

After ninety minutes, the judge declined to grant temporary custody.

Marlo nearly collapsed with relief.

However, the judge ordered a full evaluation and another hearing in six weeks.

Preston had not won.

But neither had Marlo.

Outside the courtroom, he approached her.

“This didn’t have to become ugly.”

“It became ugly when you photographed Poppy.”

He looked genuinely confused.

“What?”

“Don’t.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Marlo studied him.

For the first time, she wondered if Preston was telling the truth.

Then Charles Ashby appeared.

Preston’s father.

Older now.

White-haired.

Elegant.

Marlo had not seen him since her wedding.

His gaze passed over her.

Then landed on Elias.

The color drained from his face.

Exactly like Robert’s had.

Elias stepped forward.

“Charles.”

Charles recovered quickly.

“Elias.”

Marlo watched.

Two men from different worlds.

Yet neither needed introduction.

“You know each other,” she said.

Charles looked at her.

“Boston is smaller than people think.”

Elias’s voice cooled.

“Especially when money moves through the same rooms.”

Charles’s eyes hardened.

Preston frowned.

“What is happening?”

Marlo removed a copy of the old photograph.

She held it up.

“Want to explain this?”

Charles stared.

For one fraction of a second, his mask broke.

Then he laughed.

“I haven’t seen that photograph in decades.”

“You were there.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Business.”

“My father died three days later.”

“I’m aware.”

“He wrote that if anything happened, we should follow Ashby money.”

Preston turned toward his father.

“What?”

Charles sighed.

“Your father was paranoid near the end.”

Marlo’s hands curled.

“Don’t speak about him like that.”

“I knew him better than you did.”

Elias stepped forward.

“That was your first mistake.”

Charles glanced at him.

“And getting involved in this will be yours.”

Silence.

Even Preston looked shocked.

Elias’s expression became almost serene.

“You’ve gotten brave.”

Charles smiled.

“You’ve gotten sentimental.”

He looked at Marlo.

“That makes men careless.”

Then he walked away.

Preston hesitated before following.

Robert stayed behind.

He looked sick.

Catherine noticed.

“Mr. Lyle?”

Robert swallowed.

“I need to speak with you.”

Preston turned.

“Robert.”

The lawyer ignored him.

“Privately.”

An hour later, Robert sat inside Catherine’s office with both hands wrapped around untouched coffee.

“I didn’t know about the surveillance.”

Marlo stared.

“But you contacted the hospital.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Charles instructed me to establish whether delayed surgery could support emergency custody.”

“Why does Charles care where Poppy lives?”

Robert looked toward Elias.

“That is the question that made me nervous.”

“What do you mean?”

Robert exhaled.

“Charles Ashby has financed several commercial projects over the past thirty years.”

Elias nodded.

“I know.”

“Some involved Marchetti companies.”

Marlo looked at Elias.

“You knew?”

“Not directly.”

Robert continued.

“Two weeks ago, Charles ordered me to locate old financial records connected to your father.”

Marlo’s heart pounded.

“Why?”

“He didn’t say.”

“And the custody petition?”

“Preston wanted custody. Charles accelerated everything.”

Catherine leaned forward.

“Why?”

Robert removed a flash drive.

“I think because of this.”

He placed it on the desk.

“What is it?”

“Copies of ledgers from one of Charles’s old holding companies.”

Elias’s eyes narrowed.

Robert swallowed.

“I wasn’t supposed to see them.”

“See what?”

“Payments.”

“To whom?”

Robert looked at Marlo.

“To a company owned by Vittorio Marchetti.”

Elias went still.

Marlo whispered, “When?”

“The month your father died.”

Silence.

Robert continued.

“The payments stop afterward.”

Elias took the drive.

“How much?”

“Two hundred fifty thousand dollars.”

Twenty years earlier.

Marlo felt sick.

“For what?”

Robert shook his head.

“No invoice. No contract.”

Catherine’s expression hardened.

“That looks like a payoff.”

Robert nodded.

“That’s what I thought.”

Marlo turned toward Elias.

“Your uncle.”

“Yes.”

“And Preston’s father.”

“Yes.”

“Were involved in my father’s death?”

“We don’t know.”

“But you think it.”

Elias said nothing.

Robert stood.

“I should leave.”

Catherine stopped him.

“You’re withdrawing from Preston’s case.”

“Yes.”

“Today.”

“Yes.”

Robert reached the door.

Then he paused.

“There’s something else.”

Marlo’s stomach tightened.

“What?”

“Charles told Preston that if he won custody, Poppy’s surgery would be paid for immediately.”

Marlo frowned.

“Why?”

“I assumed generosity.”

“And now?”

Robert looked at the flash drive.

“Now I think Charles wanted leverage.”

“Over me?”

“No.”

Robert looked at Elias.

“Over him.”

Everyone went silent.

Marlo whispered, “Why would my daughter give him leverage over Elias?”

Robert hesitated.

“I don’t know.”

But Elias did.

Marlo saw it.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

He turned away.

“Elias.”

Nothing.

Marlo stepped in front of him.

“What does Charles know about Poppy?”

His jaw tightened.

“Marlo.”

“Tell me.”

Elias finally looked at her.

“Your father didn’t only save me.”

“What does that mean?”

“There was another reason Vittorio wanted him gone.”

“Why?”

Elias’s voice dropped.

“Because your father discovered where Vittorio had hidden money.”

Marlo stared.

“So?”

“The money wasn’t Vittorio’s.”

“Whose was it?”

Elias handed her the flash drive.

“Your father’s records suggest it belonged to your mother.”

Marlo stopped breathing.

“My mother?”

“And legally,” Elias said quietly, “everything she owned eventually passed to you.”

Marlo’s knees weakened.

“How much?”

Elias hesitated.

“Enough that Heart and Crumb is not the most valuable thing you inherited.”

“How much?”

He answered.

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