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Her eyes rise to mine. “You’re preparing for a life you might not be part of.”

“I’m preparing for his life.”

“What happens if Belov resurfaces or another man takes his place?” Vera lifts her eyes to mine. “Misha will grow up behind guards, locked doors, and security rules. He’ll learn to suspect everyone around him, and I don’t want that life for him.”

She stands so quickly that the chair moves behind her. Her fingers tighten around the sheet knotted over her chest, and the color leaves her face. Fear shows plainly in her eyes as she pushes the papers away.

The trust agreement and deed slide across the table, exposing the security document beneath them. Vera picks it up and begins to read.

I already know every line. Leonid sent me each draft, and we changed the clauses through a series of short messages until the authority rested with Vera. She knows nothing about those late-night revisions or how many times I made him remove a condition that could be used against her later.

Any guards assigned to Vera or Misha answer directly to her. She can dismiss them, replace them, change their routes, remove surveillance, and hire security from outside the Volkov organization. Abramov can take command during an immediate attack, but his authority ends once Vera, Maksim, or I confirm the threat is contained.

“You’re giving me control of the guards.”

“They’ll be hired to protect you, so they’ll answer to you.”

“Maksim agreed to this?”

“Elena is his wife. He knows protection can turn into control if you go too far.” I move closer but leave some space between us.

Vera looks down and finds another document beneath the security papers.

“There’s more.”

“The last one.”

She reads the first paragraph, and her breathing slows.

If I ever threaten her, use Misha against her, put either of them under another claim, or become a danger to them, Vera can take our son and leave. The apartment, trust, and security money stay hers. I can’t send Volkov men after them or hire someone to follow them. And I can’t use money or the courts to drag them back.

“Alexei.” She presses one finger beneath the clause. “This says I can take Misha and disappear.”

“It says you won’t have to disappear.” I place my finger beside hers. “You can leave openly.”

“You’d allow me to take your son?”

My chest tightens, but I hold her gaze. “If I ever give you a reason to fear me, take Misha and leave.”

Vera gathers the documents inside the folder and closes it halfway. Her lips flatten, and suspicion returns to her eyes. “You could destroy this agreement whenever you wanted.”

“Nina filed the deed this morning. The trust is funded, the security agreement is active, and Maksim, Elena, Dmitri, Cara, Abramov, and Mrs. Wentworth witnessed my signature on the exit clause.”

“Mrs. Wentworth?”

“She insisted on two things.” I can almost see her standing beside Leonid with her lips pressed thin, refusing to leave until I promised her.

Vera searches my face, then opens the folder again. “What things?”

“Misha’s yellow car travels with him, and your new kitchen remains stocked.”

Her mouth curves, though her eyes fill with tears. “Leonid didn’t write that.”

“Mrs. Wentworth said you’d understand.”

She closes the folder and rests both hands on the cover, then turns until she’s facing me fully.

“And the custody papers?”