"Didn't you hear, Henry?" Leah Mitchell's voice rang out sharply. "Bow down and apologize now!"
Choruses of agreement swelled around them. "Just do it," one voice cried. "It's not like it'll cost you anything."
Rowan Erickson, having held her tongue till now, finally intervened. "Mr. Smith, aren’t you pushing it a bit too far?"
"Ms. Erickson," he smirked, "this is an internal Mitchell family affair. And really, he's just a waste of space. Wouldn’t want you getting your hands dirty."
Joseph Mitchell, looking for approval, jumped in. "Exactly, Ms. Erickson. We need to set a precedent. Business with the Mitchell family is always strict and seamless."
Henry turned to Sophie, searching her eyes. They shimmered with tears, her mouth opened and closed, unable to find words. Henry chuckled, a
