Damian’s POV
“You bought her job?”
Maya nodded firmly.
“The fish place,” she explained. “Where Mommy works every morning.”
I knew exactly what she meant now. The waterfront project papers had been signed two days ago. The old docks were run-down, the storage buildings were rotting, and the entire area needed to be cleared out and rebuilt if I wanted safe food and water shipments coming into our territory during the winter.
The workers had already been told the property would be closed down. My site managers were supposed to handle pay and moving help.
I hadn't stopped to think about what that decision meant to a single mother who earned her living cleaning fish on those old wooden boards.
“Your mother works down at the docks?”
“Yes. She works super hard.” Maya's voice turned firm,
