Broken Hands

152. Rosa.

The evening wasn't filled with its usual tension; instead, it carried a rare air of ease—a low-key celebration. Damien had ridden in first, getting out of the car, and shortly after, Rosa came after him, looking radiant as ever. She had been gone for too long, and whatever time she had spent away had done her a world of good.

Russell and Grayson were the first to welcome her, both noticing how vibrant she seemed, and how her laughter carried through the air effortlessly. She told them about her grandbabies, her adventures back in her home country, and all the mischief she'd gotten into. She even brought back souvenirs, passing them around with a proud smile.

Even Damien, who usually carried himself like a watchdog ready to sniff out the slightest hint of trouble, seemed more at ease around Rosa.

The day had slipped by faster than any of them realized, and soon, they were gathered around the dinner table. The meal was a labor of love—Nora had done most of the work, with Grayson and Russell helping in the kitchen.

Rosa was in the middle of finishing one of her many stories, her voice animated.

"And that was how they got served—ten years each," she said with finality, shaking her head.

"Those people are just horrible," Nora remarked, a troubled look crossing her face. She rubbed her throat absently. "Defrauding people of their hard-earned money like that."

"Only stupid people would fall for that," Julian commented, reaching for his glass of water.

"Language," Nora scolded gently.

Alex barely held back from saying the same thing at the same time.

Julian flushed slightly and muttered something under his breath.

"Some people are mere victims," Russell added, always the one to see the other side.

Julian opened his mouth to counter, but Damien cut in first.

"Julian had some truth in what he said."

Julian hid a grin, surprised to have Damien on his side. Nobody had expected that.

That was all it took for the conversation to evolve into a full-blown debate.

"People need to be responsible for themselves," Damien continued, setting down his utensils. "It's not always about being a victim. If someone is foolish enough to fall for a scam, it means they weren't careful."

"But that's not fair," Russell countered. "Not everyone knows what to look out for. Some scammers are really good at what they do."

"Right." Alex chimed in. "Not everyone is street-smart. Some people are just trusting by nature."

Julian scoffed. "It's not about being trusting. It's about not being gullible. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Nora sighed. "But sometimes people are desperate. When you're struggling and someone offers you an easy way out, you want to believe it's real."

"That's just wishful thinking," Julian shot back.

"And some people don't have anything else to hold onto," Rosa spoke up. Her voice was calm. "You don't always think clearly when you feel like you're drowning."

A brief silence fell over the table.

Damien's gaze drifted to Grayson for a moment before turning back to his plate. "Either way, ignorance isn't an excuse. If you get tricked, it's on you."

"Sounds like something a conman would say," Rosa muttered.

Alex chuckled at that, while Julian smirked.