Consequences Office

HartLine did not survive under its own name.

That was Elise's first clean decision. The receiver agreed. Nadine agreed. Greta said she would haunt the lobby if anyone tried to keep Vivian's brass letters.

The firm became Hart Restitution Review for six months by court order, then would dissolve or rebuild under victim oversight. Elise did not sit in Vivian's office. She took the smaller room beside the records suite, where the printer jammed and the harbor view was blocked by a brick wall.

"Symbolic humility?" Theo asked on the first morning.

"Shorter walk to files."

"Better."

Theo worked across from her, unpaid for exactly four hours before Nadine wrote him a consulting contract that Elise read three times before signing. He watched her read it and did not complain.

"Trust issues?" he asked.

"Trust literacy."

He smiled.

Claire came in at noon with June and Ruby. Their custody plan was temporary, flexible, and full of words that made June roll her eyes. Claire remained June's legal mother. Ruby had protected contact. June had final say on visits beyond court minimums. Everyone had therapy whether they liked it or not.

"I like the brick wall office," June said.

"Thank you."

"It says, I inherited consequences."

Ruby choked on a laugh. Claire said, "June."

"What? It does."

Elise handed June the first draft of her account history. Birth name, adoptive name, restitution source, current control, no hidden aliases.

June read it slowly. "You put Lily and June on the same page."

"You asked."

"Adults ask things too. Then they don't do them."

"I am practicing."

June folded the page with care. "Keep practicing."

After they left, Elise found a white rose on her desk.

For one awful second, she thought Martin.

Then she saw the card in Greta's handwriting.

Vivian would hate that you removed them. Good.