Grace Ryan studied Collins' face as he processed the devastating information about his father. The young man before her looked nothing like the confident businessman who had walked into her apartment just an hour ago. His shoulders sagged under the weight of his father's sins, and his hands trembled as he set down the incriminating documents.
"I need you to understand something, Collins," Grace said, her voice gentler now. She could see the genuine anguish in his eyes, and despite everything, her maternal instincts recognized a young man in pain. "When I first approached you about getting close to Nora, it wasn't entirely about understanding her romantic preferences."
Collins looked up at her, confusion adding to the mix of emotions already clouding his features. "What do you mean?"
Gra
