I looked at my parents. They had aged so much in ten years.
My father's back was no longer straight, and my mother's hair had gone completely white.
A dull ache spread through my chest.
If they knew that their precious goddaughter was the one who destroyed everything I had—what would they do?
My father stared at me coldly.
"We only have one daughter, and that's Christine. A criminal like you, someone who got a student killed—I can't even stand to look at you."
My mother's voice dripped with venom.
"Principal Fox, why are you wasting your time on this piece of trash?"
"Let her rot on that construction site for all I care!"
The workers around us had stopped what they were doing. I could feel their stares crawling over me.
I turned away, forcing the tears back. I couldn't look at my parents anymore.
Nolan sighed.
"Don't blame them. What happened back then—it broke them."
He held out a bank card.
"I owe you. I'll make it up to you over time. There's enough in here to get you by for a while."
I took the card and shoved it into my work pants without a second glance.
I wasn't accepting his compensation. I just didn't want to make a scene in front of everyone.
I didn't believe for a second that he'd shown up here by coincidence. And I wanted nothing more to do with him.
But three days later, I got a call from Edward.
"Corinne, don't bother coming in tomorrow."
"I didn't know you used to be a teacher. A little site like ours can't handle someone with your kind of education."
Before I could ask what was going on, he hung up.
When I tried calling back, the number had been disconnected.
At the same time, a text came through confirming my wages had been deposited—five hundred dollars more than we'd agreed on. The note read:
Consider this severance. Please don't come back. We can't afford to cross Principal Fox's people.
I understood immediately. Nolan had made this happen.
Sure enough, his call came through moments later.
"Corinne, what happened back then is a closed case. I can't change that. But I can make things right in other ways."
"Construction work is too hard on you. I've already handled your resignation. I bought you an apartment in Riverton—you can move in whenever you're ready."
"Christine is managing archives at the school, but she's still learning the ropes. You could help her out."
My fists clenched so hard my knuckles cracked.
How dare he?
How dare he push me into hell, turn everyone I loved against me, and then swoop back in like some kind of savior to destroy the only peace I'd managed to find?
How dare he think he could just rearrange my life like pieces on a board?
I forced my voice to stay level. "Thank you for your concern, Principal Fox, but I'm happy with my life as it is. Please don't contact me again."
Silence on the other end. Then his voice came back, threaded with something harder.
"Corinne. Still as stubborn as ever."
"Someone with a record like yours can only survive in the city. I'm offering you the best possible terms. What more could you want?"
"If you won't agree... I'll have to try other methods."
After I hung up, the unease in my chest grew heavier by the hour.
That afternoon, I found out exactly what his "other methods" looked like.
With the construction job gone, I went into Riverton to look for work—restaurants, textile factories, anything.
But no matter how desperate they were for help, the moment I gave my name, every single employer shook their head.
Out of options, I made my way back to the corrugated tin shack I'd been renting.
Alvin James was waiting by the door, his eyes rimmed with red.
He was a kind old man. When I'd first arrived with nowhere to go, he let me stay for free for two weeks. He'd even brought me steamed buns when I had nothing to eat.
"Corinne... you need to find somewhere else."
His voice trembled.
"Principal Fox's people came by. They said if I keep letting you stay here, my grandson won't be able to finish school in peace."
