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My family. Every last one of them here within an hour. Because that's what Kauffmans do now. We show up.
"My job as the oldest is to protect you," I say. "All of you. I knew what I was doing when I married Aria. I knew the risk. The consequence is mine."
"That's bullshit," Zayne says.
"It's math."
"It's not math, it's martyrdom, and you're not as good at it as you think you are."
Everly cuts in. "He's right. You are not sacrificing yourself for seven people who are telling you not to."
"Eight people," I say. "You're forgetting Aria."
That lands.
The room shifts.
"If we litigate this, Aria ends up on a witness stand explaining why she signed that contract. Explaining her father's medical bills. Brookhaven. And if the funding gets frozen while we fight, he loses the place that's helping him get better."
Everly's eyes go bright. Furious and glassy at the same time.
"Everett..."
"One share of the trust for all of yours and Aria's father stays in care. That's not martyrdom. That's the best deal in the room."
Silence.
Levi looks at me across the room.
And because Levi has never once in his life taken the long way around anything, he says, "You love her."
Not a question.
I don't answer right away.
I don't need to. Every person in this room already knows.
"Yeah," I say. "I do."
The quiet after that isn't shock.
It's grief.
One by one, they fold. Not because they agree. Because they know I already made the choice.
Everly kisses my cheek and holds it a second too long, then leaves before anyone can see her cry. Zayne hugs me hard enough to bruise and mutters "You're an idiot" into my shoulder before disappearing. Colston shakes my hand. Says, "Whatever you need." Wes squeezes my shoulder on the way past.
Archer stops at the door. Turns back. Nods once.
That single nod says more than most people manage with a paragraph.
Christian stays.
So does Levi.
Christian stands in front of me, tie finally loose enough to look like a brother instead of counsel.
"This isn't over," he says. "There are angles left."
