They ran through the snow-covered grounds of Eleanor's estate, the freezing air burning their lungs, alarms still blaring behind them. Alexander led them toward the tree line, where darkness and cover awaited.
"There," he said, pointing to a small structure barely visible through the trees. "Equipment shed. We can regroup there."
Once inside the shed, surrounded by garden tools and supplies, Emily leaned against the wall and looked at Alexander. He was soaking wet from the sprinklers, his expensive suit ruined, his hair disheveled. He looked nothing like the polished billionaire who'd walked into that gala hours ago.
He looked like a man who'd lost everything and found something far more valuable.
"We need to contact Uncle Li," Emily said, pulling out her wrist to examine the bracelet. In the dim light filtering through the shed's single window, she noticed something she'd somehow missed before—a tiny modification to the bracelet's design, so subtle it was almost invisible.
