"It's my dad," Ethan began, his voice tight with a mixture of anger, fear, and humiliation. "He got involved in an insurance scam, and now we're in serious trouble. They're demanding money, and if we don't pay..."
A frown formed on Noah's face. Smith, Ethan's father, was a smart corporate man who had built a successful career through decades of careful decision-making and good business instincts. He wasn't someone who easily fell for scams or made impulsive financial decisions—which meant whatever had happened must have been extraordinarily sophisticated and convincing.
The fact that someone as experienced and cautious as Smith had been caught in a scam immediately raised red flags about the complexity of the operation. These weren't amateur con artists targeting random victims; they were dealing with organised criminals who specialised in targeting successful professionals.
