Novel

Chapter 2: The Ledger Under the Cloth

Gavin turns the family’s contempt into a methodical search, recovers a hidden packet from the sewing machine, and proves the transfer paperwork was already being prepared three days earlier. The recovered clause ties the sale to an old death and a concealed condition, shifting the fight from insult to material danger. Dorian responds by attacking Gavin’s credibility and moving to silence him before sunset, while Gavin realizes Mrs. Hargrove is only the surface of a larger acquisition chain already targeting the district.