You shouldn't have interfered, bitch!" The iron rod tore through my shoulder, sending blinding pain radiating through my body as I shielded the billionaire's daughter from his wrath, completely unaware that this horrific betrayal was orchestrated by the very man standing in shock behind us, waiting to inherit it all.

By Wednesday afternoon, I was able to stand up and walk around the guest wing of the Colazo estate, though my left arm remained bound in a heavy black sling.

Finn was ecstatic. He had spent the last two days exploring the massive estate, accompanied by S, who had surprisingly taken a liking to my energetic little brother. Seeing him laugh, his cheeks full of color for the first time in months, made the throbbing ache in my shoulder feel entirely worth it.

"Mave, look!" Finn squealed, running into my room with a massive box of LEGOs. "S says I can build a giant castle and we can put it in the game room! She even showed me how to do a secret trapdoor!"

I smiled, ruffling his messy brown hair. "That’s amazing, buddy. But remember to say thank you, okay?"

"I did!" he said, before running back out to join S in the hallway.

As I watched him go, I noticed Rafe standing in the hallway, watching the exchange. He was wearing a dark, tailored suit, looking every bit the ruthless businessman. Yet, as his eyes met mine, the coldness in his expression seemed to melt, replaced by a quiet, protective warmth.

"He's a good kid," Rafe said, stepping into the room.

"He is," I said softly, leaning against the dresser. "Thank you, Rafe. For everything. The doctors called me this morning to explain the prep for his surgery tomorrow. I still can't believe it's real."

"It's real," Rafe said, walking closer until he was standing just a foot away. "But I need you to be prepared, Mave. Tomorrow is going to be a highly coordinated operation. Not just the surgery, but what happens outside the hospital."

I frowned, sensing the tension in his posture. "What do you mean? Is there a threat to Finn?"

"No," Rafe said quickly, his hand instinctively reaching out to rest on my uninjured shoulder, his touch warm and grounding. "I have secured the entire pediatric wing of the hospital. My men will be on every floor. But the leak in my organization... we have traced it."

"Who was it?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat.

Rafe's face darkened, his gray eyes turning to ice. "My underboss, Marcus Thorne. The man my father trusted to help run our legitimate shipping and real estate holdings. He’s been secretly funneling money from our offshore accounts, planning to initiate a hostile takeover of the Colazo enterprises once Cesily and I were out of the picture."

I gasped. "Marcus Thorne? But... he was at the restaurant that night, wasn't he? I remember seeing him standing near the bar before the attack started."

"Yes," Rafe said, his grip on my shoulder tightening just a fraction. "He was there to watch the execution. He was the one who paid your manager, Gerald Moss, to ignore your warnings about the fake server."

The realization hit me like a physical blow. "Gerald Moss... he knew? He let those men in?"

"Moss was paid fifty thousand dollars to look the other way and ensure my security team was distracted," Rafe said, his voice dripping with a lethal promise. "S has already found him. He’s... being cooperative now. He confirmed everything. Thorne planned to have Cesily killed, then use the chaos to assassinate me and claim the throne."

"That's monstrous," I whispered, my stomach turning. "Cesily is just a kid. She had nothing to do with your business."

"To men like Thorne, family is just leverage," Rafe said, his face hardening. "But he made a fatal mistake. He underestimated you. He didn't count on a waitress with a heart of gold ruining his perfect execution."

He stepped even closer, his gray eyes searching my face, lingering on my lips before returning to my eyes. "Tomorrow, while Finn is in surgery, I am going to end this. I am going to confront Thorne at his private club downtown. I want you to stay here, under tight security. Promise me you won't leave this estate."

"Rafe, be careful," I found myself saying, my voice barely a whisper. I was surprised by how much I cared, how much the thought of him getting hurt made my chest tighten with a fear that had nothing to do with my own safety.

Rafe looked at me, a slow, dark smile playing on his lips. "Are you worried about me, Mave?"