The silence that followed was heavy.
Fredrick's jaw clenched. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I do," Ester replied quietly. "You've exhausted everyone else. Hugo is the last door you haven't knocked on."
His lips curled in disdain. "That man would rather watch me burn than help."
"And yet," she said, stepping closer, "you're still going."
He looked away, unable to deny it anymore.
"What choice do I have?" he muttered. "Daniel has turned the entire industry against me. No one will touch my name. If Hugo refuses too—"
"You'll lose everything," Ester finished.
Her voice trembled, but she stood her ground, here eyes boring with conviction. "And what then, Fredrick? Have you thought what happens next"
His shoulders sagged just a little, the fight draining out of him. "You think I don't know that?" he said bitterly. "Every door I built my life on is slamming shut."
