Camilla's voice broke into a scream as the guard stepped forward. "Matthew, I need help!" The words tore out of her, not confident or manipulative, but terrified. She looked at him as though the ground had opened beneath her and she was reaching for the only hand left.
"How can I live?" Her voice shook, rising again, quieter this time but strained in a way that made it clear she's not asking to be dramatic; she's asking because she truly doesn't know.
Matthew closed his eyes for a long moment, a breath passing through him as though he were trying to let go of anger before it rooted itself too deeply. When he opened them again, he spoke not with softness but with a tired kind of patience. "Your savings. How much is left in your savings?" he asked, deciding that if he's going to help, it would be the last time.
