Kowalski Kincaid nervously licked his lips. What if I say that some of the money has already been spent? Then you’ll compensate for it out of your own pocket, I replied coldly. I know about your accounts at Barklay’s Bank in the Cayman Islands. There’s enough there to cover the shortfall. His eyes widened in shock.

How did you I told you Lenny is very good at his job. I allowed myself a slight smile. Now, let’s get down to the details. You will sign an agreement to return the funds. The entire amount must be returned within 48 hours. After that, you will both disappear from my son’s life forever. Payton looked like she was about to cry, but I saw anger and disappointment in her eyes, not remorse.

Her plan was falling apart. What do I get in return? She asked suddenly. Half of that money is rightfully mine. Noel and I were married for 5 years. Noel, who had been silent until then, raised his head sharply. Are you serious, Payton? [clears throat] After everything you’ve done, you still dare to talk about rights? His voice sounded genuinely astonished.

I understood his feelings. For someone like Noel, who had always played by the rules, such audacity was incomprehensible. We both know your father is bluffing,” Pton turned to me. “This prenuptual agreement is a forgery, and so is the power of attorney. It will all fall apart in court.” “Maybe,” I shrugged. “But are you willing to take that risk? A public scandal, your name in the papers, your reputation ruined, not to mention a possible prison sentence for financial fraud.” Pton hesitated.

I knew her weak spot. She always cared about what others thought of her. Status and reputation were more important to her than money. “What do I get if I agree?” she finally asked. “A clean divorce,” I replied. “No charges, no publicity.” “You can start a new life somewhere else.” Without Noel’s money, of course. Kincaid, who had been sitting dejectedly until then, suddenly sat up straight.

“What if I can offer you something more than just a refund?” He looked at me with a calculating gleam in his eyes. “Information that could be valuable to you?” I raised an eyebrow. What kind of information about your competitors? Kincaid leaned forward. I’ve advised several major players in the construction business.

I know their weaknesses, their plans, I laughed. Mr. Kowalski, I sold my company 5 years ago. I’m no longer interested in the intrigues of the construction business. But your son is, Kincaid countered. He works in that field, doesn’t he? Noel tensed. I don’t need dirty secrets to succeed in my work, he said contemptuously.

Noble, Kincaid curled his lips. But not very practical. In this world, those who have information win. In this world, those who don’t steal from their loved ones win, Noel retorted. I looked at my son in surprise. There was a harshness in his voice that I hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps this painful experience was beginning to change him after all.

Enough bargaining. I steered the conversation back on track. The terms are not negotiable. You return the money every last cent. In return, you get freedom from prosecution. I took another document out of the folder and placed it in front of them. Here’s the agreement. Sign it.

Canc took the paper and began to read. His face grew darker with every line. It says here that we have to return the money within 24 hours. He looked up. You just said 48. I changed my mind. I replied coldly. 24 hours starting now. Payton looked like she was ready to kill me. Kincaid continued to study the document. What’s this? He pointed to one of the clauses.

The parties agreed not to contact Noel Hope, his family, or anyone associated with him for an indefinite period of time. That’s practically a lifetime ban on communication. Exactly. I confirmed. You disappear from our lives forever. Payton finally couldn’t take it anymore. That’s not fair.

You can’t just erase 5 years of my life. You erased them yourself, Noel replied quietly, looking her straight in the eye. The moment you decided to steal our money and run away. Payton looked away, unable to withstand his direct gaze. I could see her struggling with herself. Pride versus practicality. Finally, practicality won out. Fine, she exhaled.

We’ll pay the money back. But I need something to start over with. You have your salary, Nel replied. And the 10,000 you withdrew from your personal account two weeks ago. That’s enough. I looked at my son in surprise. He knew about the withdrawal. But how? I hadn’t mentioned it. I’m not as blind as you think I am, Noel said as if reading my mind.

I noticed the money was gone from her account. I just didn’t think much of it. I figured she bought a gift or something. At that moment, I felt a pang of regret. Perhaps Noel wasn’t as naive as I thought. Perhaps he simply chose to trust even when he had reason to doubt. There was a strength in that which I, with my eternal cynicism, didn’t always appreciate.

Qincaid sighed and picked up the pen I had placed next to the agreement. Let’s get this over with, he said, signing the document. Payton hesitated for a few more seconds, then signed as well. Her signature was sharp and angular, reflecting her inner state. Now for the details. Worshu. I took the agreement and put it in a folder.

You both will immediately begin the process of returning the money. Lenny will be watching your every move. If you try to cheat or run away, the consequences will be unpleasant. How are we going to do that? Cancade asked. The banks are closed until morning. There’s such a thing as online banking, Mr. Kowalski. I smiled.

Start by canceling your flight to the Cayman Islands and getting a refund for your tickets. Then transfer the funds from your secret account back to Noel’s account. Convert the cryptocurrency back to dollars. You have 24 hours. The clock is ticking. Kin Cade and Payton exchange glances. I saw something flash in their eyes. [snorts] Perhaps a last thought of resistance, but the moment passed quickly.

They were cornered and they knew it. “Do we have a choice?” Pton asked bitterly. “There’s always a choice,” Amay replied. “Just some are worse than others.” We got up from the table. Lenny also stood up, ready to follow Kincaid and Payton to make sure they kept their end of the bargain.

When we got to the parking lot, Noel finally asked the question I knew had been bothering him all this time. Why didn’t you tell me about the power of attorney and all these documents? I looked at my son. His eyes showed a mixture of admiration and reproach. Because you wouldn’t have agreed, I replied honestly. You would have said it was wrong, unfair, maybe even illegal, and you would have been right.

But sometimes to beat the wolves, you have to become a wolf yourself. Noel thought about my words. So all these documents, are they real? The signatures, the power of attorney. I smiled. Real enough to scare them. And that’s all that was needed. But what if they weren’t scared? What if they demanded proof? I had a backup plan, I shrugged.

I always have a backup plan, son. That’s how I’ve survived in this business for 40 years. We got into the Cadillac. Through the windshield, I could see Lenny escorting Payton and Kincaid back to their room. They looked deflated, like balloons that had been let out of. “What now?” No asked, looking at his ex-wife and her lover.

“Do we just wait for them to return the money?” “Exactly,” I said, starting the engine. “Lenny will oversee the process. In the meantime, we’ll find a decent hotel and get some rest. It’s been a long day. What if they try to run away? I smiled. They won’t. Cancade is too scared. And Payton values his reputation too much.

Besides, I nodded toward their car. Their Lexus has a flat tire, remember? And Lenny disabled the spare tire while we were talking. Noel shook his head, something like a smile flitting across his face. The first in this whole crazy day. You really thought this through, didn’t you? Always, son. Always. We left the motel parking lot and headed toward downtown Las Vegas where we could find a decent hotel.

On the way, I thought about how Noel had changed in the last 24 hours. The shock and pain were still there, but there was something new in his eyes. Toughness, determination. He was beginning to understand how the real world worked. A world where the person who plays fair doesn’t always win.

It was a painful lesson, but a necessary one. I always knew that sooner or later Noel would have to learn it. It’s just a shame that it cost him his marriage and his faith in people. But perhaps it wasn’t such a high price to pay to become stronger, to learn how to defend yourself in a world where predators are always looking for easy prey.

You know, Noel said, looking out the window at the neon lights of Las Vegas appearing on the horizon. I always thought that your suspicion, your constant readiness for the worst was a flaw, that you were too cynical, that you didn’t believe in people enough. He turned to me and I saw understanding in his eyes. But now I see that you were right. All this time you were right.

I said nothing. What could I say? That sometimes I regretted my cynicism? that I envied his ability to see the good in people even when they deceived him. That deep down I wished I were wrong in my gloomy predictions. Instead, I just nodded and focused on the road. Another day of struggle awaited us.

For money, for justice, for Noah’s future. And I was ready for this struggle as I had been ready my whole life. Because in this world, it’s not the strongest or the smartest who survived. It’s those who are best prepared. The morning in Las Vegas greeted us with relentless sun and a call from Lenny. We stayed at a decent hotel on the strip.

Not the most expensive, but not one of those where the sheets are changed once a month. I insisted on two rooms. Noel needed space to digest everything that had happened. The phone rang at exactly 7:00 in the morning. I always wake up early, so I had already taken a shower and ordered coffee to the room. Win.

Lenny’s voice sounded tense. We have a problem. I was instantly alert. What is it? Our love birds tried to escape during the night. They called a taxi to get to the bus station and I intercepted them. Lenny’s voice sounded satisfied. I noticed them in time and convinced the taxi driver that they were feeling ill and it would be better to cancel the trip.

They tried to run off with the money. I began to get annoyed. Did they really think they could cheat us? Not exactly, Lenny chuckled. They’ve already started the process of returning the money as we agreed. They canceled their tickets to the Cayman’s and returned about 50,000 to Noel’s account, but then apparently they decided it would be better to disappear before it was too late.

I sighed deeply. Typical behavior for people like them. First, they make a gesture of goodwill to lull you into a false sense of security and then they try to slip away. Where are they now? in their room. Under my supervision, Lenny’s voice took on a steely tone. I explained that the next attempt to escape would have more serious consequences.

“Okay,” I glanced at my watch. “We’ll be there in an hour. Keep an eye on them.” I hung up and headed for Noel’s room. I knocked three times and without waiting for a response, entered. My son was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring into space. Judging by his rumpled clothes and red eyes, he hadn’t gone to bed.

“Have you been up all night?” I asked, even though the answer was obvious, Noel looked up at me wearily. I couldn’t sleep. I kept going over it in my head. Our meeting with Payton, her [clears throat] words, her face. I was trying to figure out when exactly it all went wrong. I sat down next to him.

I wanted to put my hand on his shoulder, but something stopped me. Perhaps it was the fear that such a gesture might seem condescending. It’s a pointless exercise, son. When the house burns down, there’s no point in figuring out which spark caused the fire. But I have to understand, he said, his voice filled with despair. I have to understand so I don’t make the same mistake again.

Your only mistake was trusting too much, I replied bluntly. You saw only the good in people, even when they showed their true colors. Noel smiled bitterly. Like mom, huh? She always trusted people, too. Yes. I nodded. But your mother had an advantage. Me? I saw those who tried to take advantage of her and protected her. You didn’t have that protection.

[clears throat] Because I pushed you away. Noel shook his head. I thought you were too cynical, too suspicious. I thought I knew life better. I said nothing. There was no point in rubbing salt in the wound by stating the obvious. We have a problem, I said instead. Payton and Kaid tried to escape last night.

Noel’s head snapped up, anger flashing in his eyes. What? After everything we discussed, Lenny stopped them, I reassured my son. But it shows how unreliable they are. We need to go there and personally oversee the return of the money. Noel stood up. His movements sharp and purposeful. Give me 10 minutes to take a shower. I nodded and left the room.

I paused briefly in the hallway, thinking about how quickly my son was changing. Yesterday, he was devastated. Today he was seething with anger. It was progress, albeit painful. 40 minutes later, we were in the car heading back to the Sand Dune Motel. Noel sat silently, his face hard and determined. Only occasionally did I notice his hands clenching into fists, a sign of inner struggle.

How do you feel? I finally asked, breaking the silence. Noel didn’t answer for a long time, as if searching for the right words. angry, he finally said, not just at Payton and that Kincaid at myself for being so blind. Self flagagillation won’t help, I remarked. What happened has already happened.

What matters is what lessons you learn from it. What lessons should I learn, Dad? His voice sounded bitter. Not to trust anyone. Always expect the worst from people. I thought about it. Did I really want my son to become as cynical as I was? Always ready for betrayal. Always keeping his distance. Not necessarily, I finally replied.

But learning to be cautious, to see the signs of deception, to protect yourself. That’s not cynicism. That’s sensible caution. Noel nodded, but I could see he wasn’t entirely convinced. You know what’s strange? He said after a pause. I hardly feel any pain from losing Payton. It’s [clears throat] as if the person I loved never existed.

Because she didn’t, I said more softly than usual. You love the image she created, especially for you. The real Payton is the one you saw yesterday. Calculating, cold, thinking only of herself. And I didn’t notice the difference in 5 years. No shook his head. What a fool I was. Not a fool, I objected.

Just a man who wanted to believe in the best. There’s no shame in that. No looked at me in surprise. I rarely said anything so optimistic, but at that moment, it seemed important to me that he not completely lose the part of himself that made him like Beverly, the ability to see the good in people, even if it sometimes led to disappointment.

We pulled up to the motel and saw Lenny smoking at the entrance to room 23. He nodded to us, threw away his cigarette butt, and stamped it out. “They’re inside,” Lenny said when we approached. Not as lively as yesterday, especially after last night’s adventure. “Did they return any more money?” I asked. “Yes, they transferred another 100,000 to Noel’s account this morning.

They’re working on returning the cryptocurrency now. It’s more complicated and takes time.” I nodded and looked at Noel. Ready? He took a deep breath and nodded. We entered the room. Payton and Kincaid were sitting at a small table by the window in front of an open laptop. They looked exhausted with dark circles under their eyes and rumpled clothes.

When we entered, Kincaid flinched and Payton just glanced at us briefly, then stared back at the laptop screen. “How’s the refund going?” I asked without preamble. Cancade cleared his throat. “We’ve already refunded about 150,000. We’re working on the rest.” “And your nighttime excursion?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Was that part of the refund process, too?” Payton finally looked up. Her eyes showed a mixture of fear and defiance. We just wanted a drink. There isn’t even a decent bar in this dump at 3:00 in the morning with luggage. Lenny chuckled behind us. Interesting choice of time for a cocktail. Concage shot Payton an annoyed look as if reproaching her for her poor lie.

Listen, he said, trying to sound businesslike. We’re doing our part of the deal. The money is coming back. It just takes time. Cryptocurrency can’t be converted instantly, especially amounts like this. You have I glanced at my watch. 16 hours left before the deadline. After that, the documents will be sent to the police. We’ll make it.

Kincaid licked his lips nervously. We just need a little leeway. Constant surveillance only slows down the process. Mr. Kowalski. I smiled without a trace of amusement. After your nighttime escapade, you lost the right to any freedom of action. From now on, your every move will be monitored.” Noel, who had been silent until then, suddenly stepped forward and looked at Payton.

“Why?” [clears throat] he asked quietly. “Why did you do it?” “And don’t give me that boring routine again. I want to know the real reason Pton looked taken aback.” She clearly hadn’t expected such a direct question, especially asked in such a calm tone. “I already told you no.” Noel interrupted her. You gave me an excuse.

Now I want the truth. I deserve that much. Something in his voice, in his direct gaze, silenced her. Then she sighed as if giving in. The truth is I never wanted what we had. Noel. The house in the suburbs, the neighbors, the weekend barbecues. That life suffocated me. You could have just left. Noel remarked. Get a divorce.

Why steal money? Because I wasted five years on you. Payton suddenly snapped. Five years of pretending, smiling, playing the perfect wife. I deserve compensation. I watched my son’s face. Not a muscle moved. Though I knew Pton’s words must have cut him like a knife. He was growing stronger right before my eyes. So our marriage was just a job to you? Noel asked quietly.

And 300,000 is your salary? Payton looked away. You wouldn’t understand. No, I understand. Noel’s voice remained calm, but there was a steely edge to it. I understand that you used me, that it was all a lie. Every kiss, every I love you, every moment I thought was special. Kincaid, clearly uncomfortable with this personal conversation, tried to intervene.

Maybe we should get back to business. Time is short and we need to finish the translations. But Noel ignored him, continuing to look at Payton. And when did he show up? He nodded toward Kincaid. From the beginning. Or did you find him later when you realized I wasn’t the lottery ticket you were hoping for? Payton flushed.

That’s not true. One, I thought I hoped I could love you. You’re a good man, Noel. It’s just just not rich enough, not exciting enough. Noel shook his head. You know what’s ironic? If you had just asked, I would have given you the money for a fresh start without all this betrayal. Payton finally looked him in the eye. Really? Really? Noel confirmed.

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