Fault Lines
Julian
He didn’t sit when she told him. He stood with his arms crossed and his jaw tight, the way he
stood when he was working very hard not to say the first thing that came to mind.
“Why, Elara.
” It wasn’t quite a question.
“Why are you allowing this? You can say no. You can
still file you can sign the papers yourself and contest the whole thing, there are lawyers who
handle exactly this”
“Julian.
” She stood. Her voice wasn’t sharp, but it was final.
“I know. I know everything you’re
saying and you’re not wrong about any of it.
” She paused, gathering the words carefully.
“But
right now my hands are tied. I can’t turn Mr. Alaric away. I can’t. He is nothing like his son
nothing. He is kind, and he is good, and when I was at my absolute lowest, when there was
