I had spent twelve years distrusting every man in a suit.

I had spent twelve years believing the Graves family was the source of all my misery.

But looking at him now, I saw something different.

I saw a man who was willing to watch his empire burn just to do what was right.

Ruby pulled on my hand.

“Mommy, can we go home now?” she asked.

“I don’t like this place.”

“Soon, baby,” I whispered, kneeling down to her eye level.

“We just have to wait a little bit longer.”

“Is that man going to fix our ceiling?” she asked, pointing her small finger at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel looked down at her.

His expression softened, the hard lines of his face melting away for a brief moment.

“Yes, Ruby,” Nathaniel said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

“I am going to fix your ceiling.”

“And your heater.”

“And everything else that should have been fixed a long time ago.”

Charles Graves let out a heavy sigh.

“Nathaniel,” he said.

“The damage to our name…”

“Our name is already ruined if we keep this secret, Father,” Nathaniel said.