"Huh? Wait, which case are we talking about?"
Everly's brain did that thing where it tried to access old files but kept getting error messages—her peaceful orphanage childhood wasn't exactly filled with scandalous case memories.
Maria sighed, shaking her head as she recounted the grim details.
"The case from when we were still in diapers—about that previous director who abused the kids here. Some of them... he even sexually assaulted." Her voice dropped. "This all happened before my mom took over. We don't remember it because we were toddlers, but apparently it was a huge scandal back then."
Everly's expression flatlined instantly, all traces of her earlier mischief evaporating like water on hot pavement. She didn't know all the details, but she'd overheard enough whispered conversations between newer staff members—fragments about not just the director, but two other employees who'd participated in the abuse.
