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Her words caught him off guard. Something in her tone — gentle, sincere — reminded him of his own childhood.
He remembered long nights in a silent house, where affection was measured, not freely given. Love, in his world, had always been something to earn.
Maria looked down, her fingers tracing the edge of her coffee cup. “Because I know what it feels like to cry and have no one come.”
The words hung in the air. For once, Richard had no reply.
The Hidden Connection
That afternoon, while Maria took the twins out for their walk, Richard found himself restless. Something about her words — her calm, her quiet pain — stayed with him.
On impulse, he opened her employment file. Everything seemed ordinary: excellent references, spotless background checks… until one line caught his eye.
Her emergency contact: Grace Bennett.
