ALINA
Her voice trembled. "Can I sit?" she asked in a state of agitation.
"Yes, Yna, you can sit, please. Take your time. We'll hear you when you're ready," I told her soothingly. I sat across from her. Alessandro was standing near the big window close to the bottom of the stairs. Peyton was next to Nana, who the latter was staring at the woman with compassion.
We didn't touch her or sit close to her because we wanted her to focus on what she was going to say. She would be overwhelmed by fear and concern, but she had to do this to get her freedom back. No more pain. No more fear. And I wanted that for her.
She took a deep breath and stared into space. She began speaking with a sullen look in her eyes. "My parents were Mr. Veleches' acquaintances. They had borrowed money from him and w
