“Have you found out.”
Logan’s voice was calm, even, unhurried. It carried a quiet authority that came not from volume but from certainty. He did not raise his eyes immediately. His pen moved once more across the contract, leaving a neat signature like a blade drawn over silk. Only after finishing did he finally look up, gaze deep and unreadable.
“Yes,” James replied, standing straight with both hands behind his back in a respectful posture. “Although Hazel’s mother passed away ten years ago, she has been living with her biological father, Jacob.”
James spoke clearly, without embellishment. He believed facts were stronger when spoken simply. He flipped open the folder, revealing printed pages, photographs, school records, and fragments of social media traces.
Logan’s eyes narrowed sligh
