She had read it during a meeting about the trust and talked about a place where people received help without being made to feel small.

It changed my understanding of the gift.

Chloe hadn’t invented her values in a final burst of sentiment.

She had learned them from years of watching family members make imperfect, generous decisions.

The inheritance was not a reward for being close to her.

It was a responsibility I had been trusted to consider.

Outside, Paige leaned against the office wall and stared into the traffic.

“I was angry for a minute,” she admitted.