Adrian stopped in front of Hannah and looked at Lucas first. The boy wore a navy sweater and clutched a piece of bread in one hand. Adrian lowered himself onto one knee.

Cameras rose throughout the room.

Hannah stared at him. “Adrian, what are you doing?”

“For most of my life,” he said, “I believed asking for something gave another person power over me.” His voice carried through the silent hall. “The night I walked into your bakery, I asked you to save my son.

It was the first honest request I’d made in years. You could have taken my money and left when Lucas got healthy. You could have protected yourself when Marcus threatened you.

Instead, you walked into a broken house and taught everyone inside it how to live again.”