She Quit Her Family and Found Herself novel Chapter 81

Brandon sat down across from Hulda, his eyes brimming with admiration and relief. "That was incredible. For a second there, it was like looking at the old you from years ago. Still so spirited, so principled, so unwavering in your beliefs. Hulda, you were meant to shine. If Conrad could see you today, he'd be so proud."

Hulda's eyes pricked with sudden warmth. She sniffled quietly and lowered her head. "Thank you, Brandon."

And Conrad...

If Brandon hadn't stubbornly refused to give up on her, constantly calling over the years to urge her back to the institute, she never would have known this path was still open. Without that lifeline, the betrayal she recently suffered might have plunged her right back into the same helpless, self-doubting haze she'd been trapped in seven years ago.

Of course, she knew perfectly well that without her mentor's explicit permission and backing, Brandon's hands would have been tied, no matter how much he wanted to help.

Brandon waved a hand dismissively. "I told you, there's no need for thanks between us. Besides, having you back takes a massive load off my shoulders. It's a win for the institute. If anything, I should be thanking you."

As the conversation shifted back to professional matters, the slight flutter of emotion in Hulda's chest settled. "Brandon, I didn't consult you before making a public example of Ursula Delaney today. Is that going to cause any blowback for you or the institute?"

Long before she'd officially returned, based on Brandon's earlier warnings, Hulda had guessed that certain people in the building had a serious problem with her. For someone as busy as Brandon to catch wind of office gossip and feel the need to warn her, those rumors had to be organized, widespread, and deliberately fueled.

Ignoring the whispers and hoping they'd fade was never going to work.

The idea that "rumors stop with the wise" was a useless comfort for people too afraid to act.

Hulda didn't believe in passive comfort. She believed in striking at the root.

That was why, from the second she walked through the doors today, she had been observing everything—the environment, the reactions, the subtle shifts in behavior.

Almost immediately, she had zeroed in on two primary targets:

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