Zachary didn't hesitate long. His fingers slid a gold card across the table toward me, smooth and practiced. His eyes stayed calm. "Ms. Stovall, you don't have to worry about your child's future. This is enough for you to secure a place in K City. Whatever you need later, just say it. I'll handle it."
I looked at the card, then back at him.
So this was their solution.
A faint smile touched my lips as I picked it up, turning it lightly. It felt cold. "You must have suffered a lot," I said quietly. "Losing a daughter for twenty years… that kind of emptiness doesn't fade." My gaze shifted to Cameron. "And Ms. Larson… growing up without her parents, that must have left its own scars."
I placed the card back down.
"You've both lived through that," I continued. "So you should understand why I wouldn't want my child to go through the same thing. No matter how much comfort you offer, I think my child would choose to stay with their parents."
The air between us grew still.
