Dana moved us to a secured federal facility outside Providence.

Miles refused to let Grant out of his sight.

Grant didn't seem to mind.

He sat beside him through interviews.

He ate dinner across from him.

When Miles fell asleep on a couch that night, Grant remained in the chair beside him for almost an hour.

I watched from the doorway.

“He used to sleep with his mouth open.”

Grant whispered.

“He still does when he's exhausted.”

Grant looked at me.

There were a thousand things between us.

We chose the hardest one first.

“Tell me about Evan Cole.”

Grant leaned back.

“I was twenty-two when I met Conrad Vale.”

He explained that his father had worked in shipping.

His father died when Grant was nineteen, leaving behind debts Grant never understood.

Grant took a job reviewing freight accounts.

He found irregular transfers connected to Vale Maritime.

At first, he assumed it was ordinary fraud.

Then a coworker disappeared.

A second suffered what police called an accidental overdose.

Grant became frightened.

He copied records.

That decision changed everything.

A federal investigator named Thomas Reed secretly contacted him.

Together, they built a case.

Before indictments came, Reed was murdered.

Grant was next.

The government relocated him through an emergency witness arrangement.

The Harper family helped.

“Owen's parents.”

Grant nodded.

“They were good people.”

“What happened to his father?”

“He was killed in a car crash two years after I left their home.”

“Owen thinks Vale did it.”

“So do I.”

“Because of you?”

Grant looked down.

“Probably.”

I finally understood Owen's hatred.

It didn't excuse what he had done.

But hatred rarely grew from nothing.

“Why didn't you tell me before we married?”

Grant's answer took a long time.

“Cowardice.”

I had expected justification.

His honesty surprised me.

“I was told never to reveal the identity.”

“You could have told me there was something.”

“I should have.”

“You let me marry a man who technically didn't exist.”

“Grant existed.”

I laughed bitterly.

“On paper.”

Grant looked at Miles sleeping.

“No.”

His voice softened.

“Grant was the first version of me I actually liked.”

I said nothing.

“He loved you.”

Grant continued.

“He loved Miles.”

“Stop talking about yourself like you're two people.”

“Sometimes that's what it felt like.”

I crossed my arms.

“Who are you now?”

Grant looked at me.

“I don't know.”

That answer frightened me because I believed him.

My phone vibrated.

Dana had sent an update.

Owen had reached a private marina owned by Vale Maritime.

A security camera captured him entering Warehouse Twelve.

He had not come back out.

Grant stood immediately.

I blocked him.

“No.”

“Laura.”

“You nearly got killed tonight.”

“Owen has the drive Vale wants.”

“The fake drive.”

“Exactly.”

Grant stared at Dana's message.

“When Vale realizes it's fake, Owen becomes useless.”

Despite everything Owen had done, I understood.

“You think they'll kill him.”

Grant nodded.

“If they haven't already.”