Richard smiled, a hint of vulnerability in his expression. “You did more than that. You reminded me of something I’d forgotten—kindness, selflessness, and the value of a human life beyond profit and loss.”

Then he reached into his pocket and handed Amara a small envelope. “Inside are details for a scholarship fund I’m setting up in your mother’s name. It’s the least I can do to honor what you’ve done for me.”

Amara gasped, her eyes welling up with tears. The enormity of his gesture overwhelmed her. It was as if the universe had momentarily aligned to acknowledge her bravery and her mother’s memory in the most profound way. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. “I don’t know how to repay you.”