Her instincts screamed at her to burst into the room, to yank the girl away to safety, but she knew she had to be smart about this. Charging in could make things worse. Instead, Angela focused on capturing as much as she could, hoping it would be enough for someone to take her seriously.

The girl finally took the papers, and as she did, Daniel’s demeanor shifted. He softened, his hands now gently patting her shoulder. The change was jarring, and Angela could barely understand it. Was this some twisted form of manipulation? A reward for compliance? The girl’s expression was unreadable—eyes cast down, she seemed to shrink into herself, a mere shadow of a child.