"And you knew Aunt Isadora because of my mother?" Sofia asked, her voice soft but direct, her wine glass resting untouched in her hand.
Raymond nodded once, the firelight casting flickers of gold across his thoughtful expression.
"Yes, I knew her through your mother. We reconnected not long before your wedding to Adam."
Sofia leaned forward slightly, her brows furrowing. "And she came to you... after I received the bank's notice?"
His eyes met hers again—measured, unflinching.
"She did."
The words settled like warmth and weight at the same time. Sofia sat back, her thoughts racing through a hundred moments she'd tried to bury—how the debt came crashing down all at once, how Isadora appeared with legal options, connections, and suddenly... a lifeline.
Sofia blinked, unsure if she should feel indebted—or played.
Everything had fallen into place too cleanly.
Too quickly.
And suddenly, she wasn't just debt-free.
