He Called Me “Street Garbage” at the Country Club. He Didn’t Know What Burns Down Empires.

I couldn’t.”

I held his gaze. “You called me garbage.”

William flinched. “I know.”

“You humiliated me.”

“I know,” he repeated, voice breaking.

“A check doesn’t fix that.”

“I know,” he said. “I just… I needed to do one thing that wasn’t about me.”

I studied him for a long moment, then said, “Leave it with security. The foundation board will decide what to continue reading …