Skye went to the bathroom, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the girl. About the way she smiled when she heard the bird. About the way her dad cried when he held her. About the metallic object and the look on his face when he saw it. Something about that object scared him. Skye didn’t know what it was, but she felt it. The same way she felt everything else. And she had a feeling this wasn’t over.
That night, after dinner, Skye lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her mom had tucked her in and kissed her forehead like always. But Skye couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about the girl. Wondering if she was okay. Wondering what would happen next.
Then her phone buzzed. She didn’t have a phone; her mom did. She heard her mom answer in the other room.
“Hello?” A pause. “Yes, uh, this is her mother.” Another pause. “Tomorrow? I… I work tomorrow.” Skye sat up, listening. “Okay, yes, we’ll be there.”
Her mom hung up. Skye got out of bed and peeked into the living room. Her mom was sitting on the couch, staring at her phone.
“Who was that?” Skye asked.
Her mom looked up. “Mr. Carter. He wants to meet us tomorrow.”
“Why?”
Her mom hesitated. “I don’t know yet. But we’re going to find out.”
The next morning, Skye and her mom stood outside the mansion gates. Skye had never been this close before. The iron bars were taller than she imagined. Her mom pressed the buzzer.
A voice crackled through the speaker. “Name?”
“Skye and her mother. Mr. Carter is expecting us.”
The gates buzzed and swung open slowly. They walked up the long driveway. Skye stared at the fountain, the perfectly trimmed hedges, the marble steps leading to the front door. Her mom squeezed her hand. “Stay close.”
The door opened before they reached it. The billionaire stood there. No suit today—just jeans and a wrinkled shirt. He looked like he hadn’t slept.
“Thank you for coming,” he said.
Skye’s mom nodded. “Of course.”
He stepped aside. “Please, come in.”
They walked into a massive foyer: marble floors, a chandelier that looked like it cost more than their entire apartment building. Skye tried not to stare. The billionaire led them into a living room. His daughter was sitting on the couch, coloring. When she saw Skye, her face lit up. She jumped off the couch and ran over, hugging Skye tight. Skye hugged her back, smiling.
The billionaire watched them, his expression softening. “She hasn’t stopped talking about you,” he said.
Skye’s mom blinked. “She can talk?”
“She can sign, but yesterday… she reacted to sounds. Real sounds. For the first time.”
Skye’s mom looked at Skye, eyes wide. The billionaire gestured toward the couch. “Please, sit.”
They sat down. The girl climbed onto the couch next to Skye, staying close. The billionaire sat across from them. He looked exhausted. Broken.
“I owe you an explanation,” he said.
Skye’s mom nodded. “We’re listening.”
He pulled the metallic object out of his pocket and set it on the coffee table. “This was lodged behind my daughter’s hearing device. Your daughter found it.”
Skye’s mom stared at it. “What is it?”
“A tracking chip. Custom-made. Expensive.”
“Why would someone put that in her ear?”
His jaw clenched. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
“You think someone did this on purpose?”
“I know they did.”
The room went silent. Skye looked at the girl. She was coloring again, unaware of the conversation.
“Who would do that?” Skye’s mom asked.
“Someone close. Someone with access.”
“Do you know who?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. But I will.”
Skye’s mom leaned forward. “Mr. Carter, why are we here?”
He looked at Skye. “Because your daughter saw something no one else did. Not the doctors. Not the specialists. Not me. She’s observant.”
“She’s more than that.”
He paused. “I want to help you. Both of you.”
Skye’s mom stiffened. “We don’t need charity.”
“It’s not charity. It’s gratitude.”
“We’re fine.”
“Are you?”
The question hung in the air. Skye’s mom looked away.
The billionaire softened his voice. “I’m not trying to insult you. I just want to make sure Skye has everything she needs. School. Opportunities. Whatever she wants.”
“Why?”
“Because she gave my daughter something I couldn’t. And I don’t take that lightly.”
Skye’s mom’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll think about it.”
She nodded slowly. The girl tugged on Skye’s sleeve. Skye looked at her. The girl pointed at her ear, then gave a thumbs up. Skye smiled.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore?”
The girl shook her head. Then she did something that made everyone stop. She opened her mouth and whispered, “Thank you.”
Her voice was soft, scratchy, unsure. But it was there. The billionaire’s breath caught.
“Baby… you just spoke.”
She nodded, tears streaming down her face. He pulled her into his arms, sobbing into her hair. Skye’s mom covered her mouth, crying too. Skye just stared, heart pounding. The girl had heard her own voice. For the first time ever.
The billionaire couldn’t stop shaking. He held his daughter like she might disappear if he let go. She pulled back and looked at him, confused by his tears. He signed to her.
You spoke. Do you understand? You spoke.
She nodded, touching her throat, surprised by the vibration she felt. Skye watched from the couch, her own eyes wet…
