Elias’s POV

Days passed, and finally, I found myself sitting in my car across from a small, busy restaurant. My heart was pounding against my ribs, a slow, heavy rhythm that I couldn't control. I had faced billionaire investors and cut-throat rivals without blinking, but today, I was terrified. I was about to meet the man whose life my family had helped ruin—Mara’s father.

I watched him through the passenger window. He was busy attending to customers, his movements quick but tired. I gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white. "Relax," I told myself, taking a deep breath. But it didn't help.

I waited until the lunch...