Annie's quiet investigation stretched over weeks, meticulous and unseen. Lukas remained patient, though every day he felt the tension building. He would listen to Noah gush about Katherine's brilliance, about how she made him feel alive, and about their plans for the future. Lukas would nod, smile, and hide the storm raging beneath. He waited until Annie came to him with answers. And when she did, they were far darker than he had feared.
Katherine wasn't just struggling with substances. She was tied deep into the underworld—debt, contacts, and chains linking her to mafia circles that stretched from the East Coast into Europe. Her vices weren't casual slips of a stressed executive but heavy chains of addiction and obligation. Once Annie laid down the evidence—photos, records, and whispered confirmations from sources Lukas trusted—he felt his chest tighten with fury.
