Outside, Hazel fell asleep in her stroller as cars passed through downtown Grand Rapids.

I had expected discovering my resources to make me feel invincible.

Instead, I felt responsible.

Forty crews depended on the construction company for paychecks.

Their mortgages and grocery bills were as real as mine.

Brandon had treated my child as collateral in a power struggle.

I was not going to do the same to other people’s families.

PART 5