He sat across from Jermaine. His eyes held a kind of painful honesty.
“We found out who sent the plant. A rival executive. A man who wanted control of my board. He weaponized something beautiful. That is a kind of evil I never imagined.”
Jermaine nodded slowly. “Sometimes danger pretends to be a gift.”
Gregory stared at him. “You are more educated than this house ever gave you credit for.”
Jermaine shrugged. “I listen. People ignore what they think is beneath them. That makes it easier to hear the truth.”
Gregory breathed in. “I want to offer you something. Your family will remain here if you want. But not as invisible labor. I want to sponsor your education. Any school you want. Botany, medicine, environmental sciences, whatever path calls to you. Full support. Full respect.”
Jermaine’s chest tightened. “Why me?”
“Because you saw what eighteen experts missed,” Gregory answered. “Because you were brave. Because my son is alive due to a skill the world looks down on. And because I am tired of pretending that wealth is the same as wisdom.”
Jermaine felt a tear slip down his cheek. He wiped it quickly.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
