The scrambled eggs were slightly overcooked, the toast abandoned, and the mood at the breakfast table was somewhere between "tense office meeting" and "casual hostage situation."
Jesse sipped his coffee, eyes flicking between his mother-who still hadn't touched her tea-and Alina, who was reading work emails like the toast hadn't burst into flames minutes ago. He opened his mouth to break the silence when-
*Ding-dong.*
Alina blinked. "Who on earth-?"
Jesse stood. "I'll get it."
He swung the door open and nearly got knocked backward by a large hat, a fur-lined coat, and the overwhelming scent of lavender and sass.
"Move aside, boy," said a very familiar voice.
"Gran?"
Alina peeked around him. "Oh no."
Jesse's grandmother waltzed in like she owned the penthouse. She removed her hat with flair, kissed Jesse on both cheeks, and ignored the puzzled look on his mother's face entirely.
"Hello, darling," she said to Alina. "Still glowing. Married life suits you."
"I-uh-thank you?"
"Not that I approve of these contract marriages," Gran added, sniffing. "But I'm old enough to know when love is faking badly."
Jesse shut the door, looking like he needed a drink stronger than coffee.
His mom stood up, visibly tense. "Mother."
"Diana," Gran replied flatly.
The temperature in the room dropped. Jesse glanced between them, sensing decades of unresolved mother-in-law tension rising like steam.
"I wasn't aware you were visiting," Diana said.
Gran pulled off her gloves slowly, dramatically. "I wasn't aware *he* was being threatened with deportation. Yet here we are."
Jesse blinked. "You *read* the immigration letter?"
Gran scoffed. "Please. You left it on the kitchen counter like it was a pizza coupon."
Alina muttered, "He does that."
"Thank you, *wife*," Jesse said dryly.
Gran turned to Diana. "So... you've told him yet?"
Diana stiffened. "Told him what?"
"Don't play coy," Gran snapped. "You got the message. I saw it on your phone last night. And I know that look. It's the same one you wore when you found out he robbed that bank in Kentucky."
Jesse stood still. "Wait. What?"
Diana opened her mouth, closed it, then sighed. "I didn't want to ruin your breakfast."
"You *already* ruined the toast," he muttered.
Gran placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jesse, your father... was released."
Silence.
Alina's coffee cup paused halfway to her lips.
[8/1, 8:14 PM] ChatGPT: Jesse's heart dropped like an elevator with cut cables. "Released? When?"
"Yesterday," Diana said quietly. "They sent me the notification. He's out."
Alina reached for Jesse's hand instinctively. He didn't move. Just stared at the wall like he could punch a hole through it with his eyes.
"No one thought to *tell* me?" he asked.
"We didn't want to upset you," Diana offered.
"Wow," Jesse said, laughing bitterly. "Upset me? That's rich. The man who almost got me killed is walking around free, and everyone's just... keeping it casual over eggs?"
Gran tried to speak, but Jesse held up a hand.
"I need air."
He walked toward the balcony and stepped out, the sliding door shutting behind him.
Alina stood to follow, but Gran stopped her. "Give him a moment."
Inside, Diana finally sat back down, rubbing her temples.
"I should've told him immediately," she said.
"Yes," Gran said flatly. "But you never were good with hard truths."
Outside, the wind tugged at Jesse's shirt as he gripped the railing. His mind raced-memories, threats, promises his father had made behind bars. Promises of revenge. Of unfinished business.
A soft hand touched his back. Alina.
"I know you hate hearing this," she said gently, "but you're not him, Jesse. You never were."
[8/1, 8:14 PM] ChatGPT: "I know. But I don't know what he's going to do now. And I'm tired of waiting to find out."
Alina turned him toward her, placing her palm on his cheek. "Then don't wait. Let's be two steps ahead this time."
He looked at her. For a moment, the world quieted.
"I'm scared," he admitted.
She smiled sadly. "Good. That means you're thinking clearly."
Inside, Gran's phone buzzed. She frowned, reading the screen.
Then her face drained of color.
"What is it?" Diana asked.
Gran didn't answer.
She just stood up, walked to the balcony, and called out to Alina and Jesse:
"We have a problem."
They turned around instantly.
Gran held up her phone.
"He's not alone. He's *already* contacted someone. Someone with a connection to Virella."
Alina's eyes widened. Jesse clenched his fists.
"Who?" he asked.
Gran looked at him, and the name came out like poison:
"Victor."
****
The name dropped like a stone in a still pond, sending silent ripples through the balcony air. For a few seconds, no one moved. Even the wind seemed to pause, waiting for the impact.
Jesse blinked. Once. Twice. Then slowly turned back to Gran.
"Are you sure?" he asked, voice low and taut.
Gran nodded grimly. "His name popped up in a flagged message. Same encrypted contacts your father used before he got locked up. He's already reaching out to old allies."
Alina's grip on Jesse's hand tightened. "That doesn't make sense. Victor disappeared after I fired him. He was humiliated, broke, and-"
"Exactly," Gran cut in. "Perfect motivation."
Jesse exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "So he's teaming up with my dad... to what? Get revenge on both of us?"
Gran didn't answer. She didn't have to.
Jesse stepped away, pacing. "I can't believe this is happening now. I *just* got back to normal life. I was making eggs, for God's sake."
Alina tried to lighten the mood. "Barely."
He gave her a quick look, but his jaw was still clenched. "What does he want? My father already ruined my life once. Victor's got nothing left to gain."
Alina glanced toward the living room, where Diana sat pretending not to listen, her posture too stiff.
"Unless," she said slowly, "they want the same thing."
Jesse looked at her. "Which is?"
"Me. My company. Our marriage."
Realization hit.
"The contract," he murmured.
Alina nodded. "If they expose the marriage as fake-or worse, if Victor still has access to Virella's board-it could destroy everything. They'd paint me as a fraud. Use our past against us."
"And you'd lose the company."
Alina straightened. "I don't lose."
Jesse paused, then cracked the faintest smile. "There she is."
They stood in silence a moment, the storm behind their eyes slowly settling into strategy.
"What do we do first?" Jesse finally asked.
Alina squared her shoulders. "We go to the board before they do. And then... we find Victor."
Gran cleared her throat. "And I suggest you find him *before* he finds you."
Jesse looked at her. "You got any spy tricks left?"
Gran grinned. "Darling, I haven't even started."