The usual place was a small, brick-walled café on the edge of the old commercial district. We used to come here back when the company was just three rooms and a shared printer, spending hours over cheap coffee while going through tax codes.

Rachel was already sitting at a corner table when I walked in. She was staring at her phone, her sharp bob falling forward over her cheeks.

She had been our lead compliance officer, the one who handled almost every important document—the share distributions, property transfers, and foundational corporate papers.

If there was a legal signature connected to Evans Global Holdings, Rachel had probably filed it.

I smiled...