Walter Brook’s handwriting filled every page. Steady, precise, determined. The letter explained how he had spent years studying city expansion plans, transportation routes, and future commercial development. Most people had dismissed his predictions. But he had been right. so right that he feared one day powerful people would attempt to acquire the land before the family understood its true value.
That fear eventually led him to create legal protections, hidden protections, safeguards designed to prevent manipulation. As Hannah read further, one sentence stood out. If anyone pressures you to sell quickly, trust them least. Her stomach tightened. Marcus immediately came to mind. The timing couldn’t be ignored, the questions, the curiosity, the constant interest in the property.
Suddenly, everything felt different and far more dangerous. Across town, Mrs. Parker sat in her apartment staring at her phone. The image she had captured earlier remained on the screen. Marcus standing inside Hannah’s apartment near the wooden box, searching, not helping, searching. The elderly woman trusted her instincts and her instincts told her something wasn’t right.
