From where Drake stood, he could see Zhinkee moving among the children, her laughter mingling with theirs. The sunlight caught her hair as she knelt to tie a shoelace, and the children’s faces lit up in response. Even though her family was one of the orphanage’s major sponsors, she had insisted on coming herself. It wasn’t just her beauty or the effortless grace in her movements that drew attention—it was the warmth in her eyes, the genuine kindness that made each child feel seen.
Watching her stirred a pang of guilt in Drake. He thought about the secret he carried, the affair with Naime, and the chaos it had left in its wake. He had witnessed the heartbreak in Naime’s eyes after discovering Clifford and Shelly’s betrayal, and the idea of Zhinkee suffering in the same way twisted his stom
