“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Julian Vance growled from the slate floor, his wheelchair sitting just out of reach like a calculated insult. The tech mogul who once made venture capitalists wait outside his office was now helpless in his own Lake Washington mansion… until the 25-year-old nanny touched his shoulder and lifted him like she had done it a hundred times before. And the way she knew exactly where to place her hands made his face go completely still.

The victory was short-lived. The next morning, the heavy iron gates of the estate buzzed open. I assumed it was the physical therapy equipment I had ordered, but a sleek black town car pulled up to the driveway.

Eleanor stepped out, accompanied by two men in sharp grey suits. Lawyers.

I wheeled myself out to the portico, Clara standing right behind me.

“What is this, Eleanor?” I demanded.

Eleanor smiled, holding up a thick manila folder. “This, Julian, is a cease and desist order. And a petition for emergency custody of Lily.”

My blood pressure spiked. “You have no grounds for custody. You haven't seen her in six months!”

“I do when my ex-husband is knowingly endangering his own life by receiving illegal, unlicensed medical treatment from a glorified babysitter,” Eleanor sneered, glaring at Clara. “My attorneys did some digging. Ms. Hayes here doesn't have her doctorate yet. She is practicing medicine without a license. I have already notified the university board. She’ll be expelled by Friday.”

Clara went entirely rigid behind me. I could hear her sharp intake of breath. This was her entire life, her entire future, being torched by a woman who merely wanted leverage.

“Marcus tipped you off,” I realized aloud. “He wants the company. You want a bigger alimony settlement in exchange for not blowing the whistle on my health. You two are working together.”

“It’s just business, Julian,” Eleanor said coldly. “Fire the girl. Check yourself into a proper assisted living facility, sign the company over to Marcus quietly, and I’ll let you keep weekend visitation with Lily.”

Rage, cold and absolute, crystallized in my chest. They thought I was a wounded animal. They thought they could corner me. They forgot that I built a billion-dollar empire by destroying people who underestimated me.

“Get off my property,” I said, my voice low and lethal.

“Julian—”