lipped out of the room, her heart heavy, to buy them breakfast from the 24-hou

r clicked shut, Za

sisters awake. "Rile

voice thick with sleep.

. He helped them into their shoes and jackets, then slun

l, impeccably dressed children looking strangely out of place in the gritty urban landscape. They b

seemed to pierce the clouds. The words HAYS GLOBAL ENTE

led his sisters toward the i

wide as the doorway. He knelt, his expression kind but firm. "Sorry, littl

blet. On the screen was a QR code he'd found online-a sample code from

the tablet. The scanner beeped, but the screen showed an error messa

s face calm. "It's a new system. May

sher walked past, juggling a stack of files. He glanced at the

ays's... I mean, these are the children we were expe

de. Mark led the children toward the

is expression unrea

ark, serious eyes, the girl's sweet smile, the other little girl's determined pou

s opened. They ro

ors to the CEO's office swung open. Benedict Hays stood there

sto

, the air growing thick and heavy. He looked at Zane, at the boy's defiant posture, t

nition, shot through him. His heart, a tightly co

ear. "Are you the bastard from room 180

stantly. His gaze flickered to the curious faces of his employ

cing. He knelt, forcing a calm,

d, his voice a low, soothing mur

Benedict's custom-tailored suit. "That suit c

looking the part. The truth is," he added, injecting a note of

forward and wrapped her small arms around his

physical blow. He felt a crack in the icy facade he had maintain

s medical bills and a summary of their dire financial situa

Jairo washed over Benedict. Outwardly, he put on a sh

, his voice solemn. "Uncle Ryan promises. I'll

light. "Then come on! You hav

and took it. "Alright." He stood up, giving Mark a look that was both

ssing the fleet of luxury sedans, and returned with the keys to a dente

a car that smelled faintly of lemon-scented cleaner and desperation. He buckled the three chi