“We can start over,” Daniel whispered. “I will make it up to you. I will apologize. I will do it publicly, right here, in front of everyone.”

He looked around the room, as if measuring the cost of his pride against the cost of his bank accounts.

“I’ll tell them I was wrong,” he said. “I’ll tell them you are the heart of our family.”

“And what do you want in exchange for this sudden realization, Daniel?” I asked.

He winced at the coldness in my tone, but he didn’t back down.

“Just a bridge loan,” he pleaded, his voice trembling. “Just enough to satisfy the commissioners tonight. Let Lotus Bay guarantee the Mercer Group’s debt.”

He reached out again, and this time his fingers brushed the fabric of my sleeve.

“You have the power to do it,” he said. “Mr. Han listens to you. You own this place, Maya. You can sign the papers. You can save us.”

I looked at his hand on my arm.

I didn’t move away, but I didn’t lean in either.