Chapter 2: The Paper Trail**
The midnight flight north was turbulent, matching the storm in Dominic's chest. Sitting in the cabin's dim glow, Claire handed him a thin manila file—the only trace left of Elena Vance.
Elena had been his quiet refuge for eight months: an archivist who didn't care about his billions or the cutthroat legacy his family had built. When business pressures mounted, Dominic had pulled away, choosing corporate duty over her gentle honesty. Then came the orchestrated smear campaign by his board, painting her as an opportunist until she vanished entirely.
"She emptied her small apartment two days ago," Claire reported quietly. "Her bank accounts are closed. The only ticket bought under her mother’s maiden name was a bus ride to Rockport."
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Dominic rubbed his face, the scent of burnt paper lingering on his skin. He had let ambition blind him to the only genuine love he had ever known. If he lost her now, all his empire meant nothing.
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