( Esther's Point of View)
The papers shook in the man's hands, but Matthew looked like the ground had moved under his feet.
I stood there, frozen, with the words "Your wife is named" ringing in my head like a broken bell. It felt like something heavy was sitting on my chest. I wanted to talk. I wanted to get up and go. But my body wouldn't listen.
Matthew didn't pick up the papers. He just looked at them.
He had said, "They're not just coming for my business."
I got what he meant now.
They were coming for me.
The man in the suit coughed. You have forty-eight hours to respond, Mr. King. Some decisions will be put on hold until then.
Matthew nodded once, slowly, as if he were trying to keep himself from falling over. "You can leave."
The man thought for a moment and then gave the pa
