But on the night of the fourth demand—$500,000—Richard did something different.

Leo opened the door. His hands were empty.

He still has $40,000 left. He still has the nightmares.

He didn’t mean to spy. But his fire escape wrapped around the building’s corner, stopping just two feet from Richard’s bathroom window, which was cracked open an inch.

Sometimes Leo checks the news. No arrests. No scandals. Just silence.