He leaned closer, breath heavy. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“What she did for you.”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

He laughed harshly. “She married me to save you, you idiot.”

Before I could respond—

“Enough!”

Chloe’s voice cut through everything.

I turned.

She was crying.

“He wasn’t supposed to find out,” she told my father. “But now… I’ll tell him.”

The room went quiet.

I looked between them. “Can someone just explain what’s going on?”

She nodded, steadying herself.

“The week I disappeared,” she began, “two men came looking for you. Debt collectors. They knew your name.”

“That’s impossible,” I said. “I don’t owe anyone anything.”

“They left documents,” she continued. “Contracts. Legal filings. Your name was on all of them.”

I shook my head. “I’ve never owned a business.”

Her eyes shifted—to my father.

Mine followed.

He couldn’t meet my gaze.

Finally, he spoke. “Years ago… I put a company under your name. It was supposed to be temporary.”

“You put debt in my name,” I snapped.

Chloe stepped forward. “The company failed worse than he admitted. The debts were buried, restructured… hidden. But something resurfaced. Someone started digging.”