"What?" I said, stunned by Clara's words.
She flinched as if she had been caught stealing. "I am sorry. I should not have said anything." She stood abruptly, already trying to bolt.
I stepped into her path. "Calm down, Clara. I know you must think this is ridiculous, but I am on your side."
She looked up at me, wary and exhausted. "That is something HR would say."
"Well, I am not HR." I kept my voice level, remembering Gabriel's words about trust. Nothing is complicated, Star. You offer something important, and they give you something important in return.
So, just for a moment, I dropped the front. The polished smile. The bright eyes. I let her see the real face underneath, the one carved by grief and rage.
"You can trust me, Clara."
Shock crossed her features, and then everything crumbled. She burst into tears, shoulders shaking, her voice small and broken. "Mr. Vale is a terrible person."
I didn't interrupt.
