“If you take the money and let us see Lily, maybe everything calms down.”

I handed it back.

Not because I was too proud to accept help.

Because it was still conditional.

“If you want to help Lily, pay the hospital directly with no waiver, no visitation bargain, and no demand that I change what happened.”

He took the envelope.

No answer.

That told me enough.

PART 28 — THE DOLL

A package appeared outside our apartment.