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I glance toward the living room, where Emma is fixing Biddy’s stuck zipper and Babs searches beneath the couch for a purple pencil she apparently can’t attend school without. Sprout sticks his head under there beside her, more interested in finding abandoned food than stationery.

“We found Nora,” I say as I load the dishwasher. “She had records from women Celeste helped, and some of them connected to the shelters I worked with after I left Spencer.”

Mom rests one hip against the island as I close the dishwasher.

“Those shelters eventually connected me to people who helped build Wolf Shield.” I look toward Celeste’s photograph inside the protective sleeve on the table. “I thought I started the company after her, but she was already part of how I got there.”

Mom reaches across the island and takes my hand. “She’d be proud of you, Benny.”

My fingers close around hers. “I can do more now.”

Her mouth curves as she releases me and reaches for her coffee. “Then everybody at your office should probably enjoy the rest of their morning while they still can.”

Theo walks into my office before ten and stops when he sees shelter reports covering most of the conference table.

“You’ve been here less than an hour.” He closes the door and approaches the table. “Should I assume you’ve already created a problem for me?”

I slide the Haven House assessment toward him. “Pull every shelter that’s applied for discounted Wolf Shield systems over the last three years, including the ones we couldn’t help.”

Theo picks up the report and scans the first page. “What are you planning?”

“We’re building a permanent program.” I open the Haven House file and turn it toward him. “Shelters shouldn’t be choosing between functional security and paying their other bills, so we cover what they need and keep covering it after installation.”

His attention moves across the assessment before returning to me. “How big are you thinking?”

“Eventually? Nationwide. We start with organizations we’ve already worked with and build from there.”

Theo exhales through his nose as he reaches for his phone. “Finance is going to adore you.”

“They’ll survive. Get them upstairs, then bring in legal and operations once we know what the budget can support.”

He looks toward Celeste’s photograph beside the reports before picking up another file. “This is because of what you found yesterday.”

“She understood what these places needed years before I did.” I tap the Haven House assessment. “I have the resources to fix more of it now.”

Theo studies me, then unlocks his phone. “I’ll pull the applications.”

He makes it halfway to the door before glancing back, amusement creeping into his expression.

“For the record, turning one emotional revelation into a national corporate initiative feels extremely on brand.”

I pick up the next assessment. “Make your call, Theo.”

“See? Personal growth. Two years ago, you would’ve thrown something.”

I return to the Haven House report and begin marking the problems Wolf Shield can solve now that money and staff are no longer obstacles. My phone rings before Theo is even out the door.

He turns back when he sees the name on the screen. Our head of Communications rarely calls me directly unless a situation has already moved beyond a routine press request.

I answer. “Wolf.”

“Bane, we’ve received several media inquiries this morning about your employment history.”

Theo closes the office door again and walks back toward the desk.

“My employment history is public.”

“Most of it is, but they’re asking about one specific period.”