Quinn shot Casey a puzzled look. "Yo, you need something from me?"


    Casey looked all torn up, opened her mouth like she was gonna say something, but then mmed up. She nced over at Orion, then at Kyle.


    Kyle got the hint and stepped in, pulling Orion aside. "Hey, Mr. William, let''s hit the conference room. First time here, right? Lemme give you the grand tour." Orion looked a bit lost, scratching his head, trying to figure out what was going on. But the idea of a tour got him curious. After all, this was Quinn''s turf. "Yeah, sure," he said, tagging along with Kyle. "This ce is huge. My dad said thepany''s been killing ittely..."


    As the door clicked shut, cutting off Orion''s chatter, Quinn turned back to Casey.


    "Alright, spill it," she said.


    Casey''s eyes filled up with tears, and before Quinn knew it, Casey was on her knees, hitting the floor with a thud. "Whoa, Casey, what the hell?" Quinn gasped, trying to yank her up.


    But Casey wouldn''t budge, sobbing, "My mom''s gone."


    Quinn was floored. "What happened?"


    Casey looked away, tears streaming down. "If I had known, I... I wouldn''t have let here back."


    She didn''t finish the thought out loud. Her mom had been happy before she passed.


    Turns out, aftering back home, her mom got seriously sick, stuck in bed all day. Within days, she couldn''t even get up.


    Every day, she held Casey''s hand, spilling stories about her past, her own mom, and the good times she had. Then she started rambling, regretting not listening to her parents, feeling guilty, wanting to apologize. She felt like she failed Casey, bringing her into the world but not giving her a good life, and now leaving her alone.


    She said she was happy to die at home, something she never thought she''d get.


    No matter how much Casey begged and cried, her mom still passed.


    That morning, Casey went to call her for breakfast like always, but she never woke up.


    Casey had no family or cash here. Before leaving, Oliver had given her a business card, so she called him for help. But Oliver couldn''t make it, so he sent Orion instead.


    Orion helped with the funeral. Casey didn''t know where to go. She''d been wild before, but her mom was always there waiting. No matter how far she ran, she always came back.


    But now, with her mom gone, she had no home, no clue where to go.


    The only person she knew here was Quinn, so she asked Orion to bring her over.


    After hearing the whole story, Quinn looked at Casey''s young face and saw a bit of herself in her. They were kinda alike.


    "So, you wanna stay with me?" Quinn asked softly.


    Casey nodded like crazy, tears falling. "I''ll work hard, do anything. You can make me a maid or have me clean, whatever!"


    Quinn pressed her lips together, looking at Casey and then around her office.


    She had the money to take someone in, but she wasn''t sure what to have Casey do.


    She couldn''t really have Casey cleaning up the ce.RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only