Daniel turned back to me.
“After forty years, you’re really going to throw everything away?”
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
“No, Daniel. I spent forty years building something valuable. You were the one who decided to gamble with it.”
I placed the microphone on the table.
Then I walked toward Emily.
She wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” she whispered.
I stroked her hair.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“But Sofia—”
“You trusted your friend. That isn’t a crime.”
Emily began crying harder.
For a few moments, I held my daughter while the room remained silent around us.
Then I felt someone touch my shoulder.
It was Daniel.
“Margaret, please. Just five minutes. Alone.”
I turned to face him.
For years, I had imagined what I might say if he ever broke my heart in a way I could not forgive.
