Clara listened without moving.
“Sometimes people helped her. Sometimes they didn’t. I was too young to understand the money, but I grew up understanding the fear.”
He swallowed.
“I promised myself that if I ever reached a position where I could help someone in that situation, I wouldn’t pretend I hadn’t seen them.”
Clara’s eyes filled again.
“Your mother must be proud of you.”
Ethan looked down at his shoes.
“She died before I could give her the life I wanted her to have.”
For the first time, Clara saw the grief beneath his composure.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He nodded.
“Take care of Lily. Get some sleep if you can.”
Then he stepped into the hallway.
“Happy New Year, Clara.”
She watched him walk toward the stairs.
She had opened her door expecting nothing more than another night of worry.
Now, beside the sleeping baby, stood several bags of food and a card bearing the name of the man who owned the company that had ruined her career.
