“Mom?” Ruby whispered, her eyes wide.

“Is it safe?”

“Yes, sweetie,” I said, though my voice shook.

“It’s safe.”

I pushed the door open.

The hinges made no sound.

We stepped into the vast, carpeted office of the CEO.

The air smelled of expensive leather, polished wood, and the ozone of high-end electronics.

It was a world away from the damp, drafty hallways of Brindlewood.

Arthur stared at us as we walked in.

His eyes grew wide when he saw Ruby.

Then he looked at me, his lip curling into a sneer.

“So this is where you went,” Arthur said, his voice dripping with venom.

“You brought the thief to the master’s house.”

“Ruby is not a thief,” I said, my voice firmer than I expected.

“She returned his wallet.”

“Something you would never do.”

Arthur scoffed and turned back to Nathaniel.

“You are letting a tenant from the slums dictate how you run your business?”

“She is not just a tenant, Arthur,” Nathaniel said.

“And you know that.”

He gestured to the leather chairs in front of his desk.

“Sit down, Claire.”

“Please.”