THE room fell into a profound silence, the air thick with emotion and disbelief. Orlanda stood with her eyes wide in disbelief, her fingers curling around each other, her breath shaky. Winifred stood beside her, rubbing her back gently like one would do a child broken by life’s unfairness.

Oswald stood a few feet away, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his black trousers, his jaw clenched. He had said the words, ‘I’m sorry,’ but they had cost him more than anyone could understand. They weren’t just words; they were the crack in the armor he had worn for years. That apology had made him vulnerable… in front...