He was barefoot.
His shoes had fallen apart weeks earlier. Rosa had been waiting for her next paycheck to buy a new pair. Until then, they made do. She kept her eyes down, hoping no one would notice, hoping they could finish the job and leave without incident.
But in a room designed for control, nothing went unnoticed.
The billionaire at the head of the table was the first to spot the boy. He leaned back in his chair, studying the scene with mild amusement, as if the meeting had suddenly provided unexpected entertainment.
“Well,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “it looks like we have a visitor.”
A few men chuckled. Others turned in their chairs.
Rosa felt her stomach tighten. She lowered her head and spoke softly. “I’m sorry, sir. If this is a problem, I can leave early.”
The billionaire waved his hand dismissively. “No need. We’re almost finished anyway. Besides,” he added, glancing at the boy, “this might be interesting.”
The word hung in the air.
Interesting.
He stood and walked toward a large steel safe built into the wall. It was heavy, industrial, and clearly expensive. The kind of safe designed to withstand disasters most people never imagined encountering.
“You see this?” he said, resting his palm against the metal. “Custom-built. Triple-locked. Worth more than most houses.”
The men watched, some smiling, some clearly enjoying the diversion.
Then the billionaire turned back toward the boy.
