The night was unusually quiet, the kind of stillness that hummed before a storm. Sara sat near her window, the dim glow of the city lights outlining her tense profile. Every thought kept circling back to her father's words — papers, signatures, household authority.
When she heard the faint sound of pebbles hitting her window, she didn't need to guess who it was.
She opened it carefully, and there he was — Daniel, standing in the garden below, hands in his pockets, looking up.
Sara's lips curved slightly despite the anxiety tightening her chest. "You're early."
"You said it was urgent," he replied. "I ran two red lights."
She exhaled a shaky laugh. "You shouldn't—"
"Let me in," he interrupted gently.
Moments later, Daniel stood inside her room, his presence steadying her like gravity. Adrian, Leo, and Ryan followed through the side entrance Ryo had unlocked earlier.
The room filled with quiet determination — the calm unity of friends ready for battle.
Sara quickly explained everything — the lawyer, the documents, her father's uncertain behavior.
Ryan folded his arms. "So tomorrow morning they'll go to finalize it?"
Sara nodded. "Laura's confident. Too confident."
Adrian whistled low. "Which means she thinks no one's watching."
Ryo, standing near the door, spoke quietly. "Then we make sure she's wrong."
Leo leaned forward. "We could intercept the papers before they're signed — but we'd need access to the lawyer's files."
Daniel looked at him. "Can you do it?"
Leo grinned. "Can I? Please. Give me an hour and Wi-Fi."
Sara blinked. "You can hack into a law firm?"
"Hack is such an ugly word," Leo said cheerfully. "Let's call it digital persuasion."
Even in the chaos, Sara couldn't help but smile. For the first time, she didn't feel cornered — she felt surrounded by people who cared enough to fight with her.
While Leo worked, Adrian and Ryan prepared backup plans — legal advisors, a trusted media contact, and a private investigator who owed Daniel a favor.
Ryo monitored the cameras around the estate. "Laura's awake," he murmured. "Talking on the phone."
Sara stiffened. "Probably the lawyer."
"Probably," Ryo agreed, "but she looks… nervous."
Daniel's gaze darkened. "Good. It means she knows the tide's shifting."
An hour later, Leo slammed his laptop shut triumphantly. "Got it! The lawyer's files. I have copies of all pending documents."
Sara leaned closer, scanning the screen. Her heart pounded when she saw her name.
There it was — "Transfer of Domestic Authority: Sara Carter."And below it, her father's signature line — empty, but highlighted.
Leo's eyes flicked toward Daniel. "If we leak this, Laura's credibility is done."
Daniel shook his head. "Not yet. We use it only if she pushes."
Sara's jaw tightened. "She will."
He looked at her. "Then we'll be ready."
As the night deepened, everyone began to disperse quietly. Adrian clapped Daniel's shoulder. "We'll tail Laura's car tomorrow. Just in case."
Ryo gave Sara a nod — a rare gesture of quiet trust — before slipping into the shadows.
When the door finally closed, Daniel turned to Sara. "You did good tonight."
She smiled faintly. "I didn't do much."
"Yes, you did," he said softly. "You didn't break."
For a moment, they just looked at each other — two people who had learned to fight differently, but for the same thing.
Before leaving, Daniel paused by the door. "Sleep, if you can. Tomorrow decides a lot."
When he left, Sara stood alone in the soft glow of the city.
She didn't feel powerless anymore.
She felt ready.