“Look, I’ll talk to him,” I said finally. “Not because you asked, but because it’s the right thing to do. For Lucas. He deserves to know that people can change, that people can grow.”

Dad nodded, relief washing over his features. “Thank you, Virgil.”

I closed the door, my mind already planning my conversation with Derek. It would be a difficult one, but necessary. As I walked back to Lucas’s room, I felt a sense of clarity.