“To my office,” Edward said softly. “Your father left something important — for you.”

The streets of downtown Los Angeles glowed beneath the hum of city lights when they arrived. Edward’s firm occupied the top floor of a gleaming glass tower, far above the noise of the traffic below. Inside, he led her into a quiet conference room lined with walnut shelves and handed her a mug of hot chocolate. For the first time that day, Lila felt warmth seep back into her chest.

Edward unlocked a steel drawer, withdrew a sealed envelope, and broke the crimson wax seal. He unfolded several pristine sheets of paper, his voice calm but deliberate.
“Lila, your father came to me two months before he passed. He wasn’t well, and he wanted to ensure his wishes were clear.”