Everyone present looked at each other, amazed at the girl's bravery.
I picked up the broken hearing aid from the ground and calmly said, "This hearing aid is a custom version worth thirty thousand dollars. How are you gonna compensate?"
Birdie looked terrified, glancing desperately at the man who was watching.
Aidan stepped forward, wrapping his arms around my waist, and softened his tone to calm me down. "Lucie, she didn't mean it. I'll cover the cost of the broken hearing aid."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Whether Aubree was careless or intentional, anyone with eyes could see.
He almost indulged Birdie, with no questions asked or no blame.
I locked eyes with him, a bit forceful in my tone. "I can let go of her compensation, but she must sincerely apologize to me!"
Birdie lifted her misty eyes, looking pitiful.
Softly, she pleaded. "Mr. White..."
Aidan hid the young girl behind him, afraid I'd confront his Birdie.
He raised an eyebrow. "Lucie, I always thought you were reasonable. When did you start sweating the small stuff?"
Tears welled up from my eyes. "This hearing aid was my mom's legacy. She just broke it like that? Aidan, am I overreacting, or have you changed?"