Standing at the door, Leonie took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down and hide the traces of tears still evident in her reddened eyes.
Inside the house, Vespera had been crying so much her eyes were swollen. She had spent the entire morning tidying up the home, using every penny of their savings and borrowing from whoever she could to pay off their debt. But it wasn't enough—not even close.
"Mom, here's $100,000. Use it to pay what you can for now," Leonie said tiredly, handing over a card.
Vespera took the card, relief momentarily flashing in her eyes. But when she noticed Leonie wearing a man's shirt, her expression tensed. "Leonie, where were you last night?"
Leonie stayed silent, not answering. Tears streamed down Vespera's face as she pulled her daughter into a hug,
