Page 85 of Seeds of Love
“They didn’t even check their safety protocols,” her voice cracks. “Just handed over toxic mine waste to people who had no idea how to handle it. And when the containment failed, when it leaked into the groundwater, they covered it up for months.” Her hands are shaking. “Emma was drinking that water, Freddie. She was drinking it every day, and they knew.”
I feel like I’m going to be sick. “Alex, I didn’t?—”
“But you’re different, right?” She cuts me off. “You’ll change things from the inside? That’s what they all say, Freddie. That’s what every suit who testified at the inquiry said. ‘We’re doing better now. We’ve improved our protocols.’“
“The consulting division is different,” I hear myself say, the words tasting like ash. “It’s about restoration, about fixing?—”
“Fixing what they broke?” Her eyes meet mine, and fuck, I’ve never seen her look at me like that. “Tell me something—how much is your soul worth? Because EcoTech’s starting salary must be pretty good.”
“That’s not fair, Lex.” My voice comes out rough.
She huffs and looks out the window.
“You’re doing it again,” I snap, anger finally bubbling over. “Making everything black and white. Good guys and bad guys.”
“When it comes to EcoTech? Yeah, it is that simple.”
“Nothing is that simple!” My voice rises. “You think I don’t care about what happened to Emma? That I don’t understand how fucked up it is? But you’re not even listening?—”
“I’m not listening?” She whirls on me. “That’s rich coming from someone who’s been lying to me for weeks!”
“Because I knew you’d react exactly like this! Like I’m some sort of traitor for trying to help my family!” The words tear out of me. “Not all of us can afford to turn down opportunities based on perfect moral principles, Alex. Some of us live in the real world. Stop being so naive.”
She goes still, and fuck, I know I’ve hit a nerve. “The real world?” Her laugh is hollow. “Naive? Is that what you think of me?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“No, I think it’s exactly what you meant. Poor little rich girl Alex, playing at saving the world while Freddie has to face reality, right?”
“Alex, come on. Youknowthat’s not fair.”
“Fair?” Her eyes are alight with fury. “You want to talk about fair? I—” She stops, and her voice goes cold. “Tell me, Freddie, is there anything you actually stand for?”
I feel my own temper flaring. “What was I supposed to do, Alex? Turn down a chance to actually help my family becauseit doesn’t align with your perfect vision of environmental heroism?”
“Don’t you dare make this about me,” she snaps. “This is aboutyou, Freddie. You lied to me.”
“To make sure my family doesn’t end up on the street!” I shout, my frustration finally boiling over. “Not all of us have the luxury of turning down good job offers for the sake of idealism, Alex. Some of us have real-world problems to deal with.”
She laughs with no soul behind it.
“Real-world problems?” she hisses. “You think I don’t understand real-world problems? Just because my parents have money doesn’t mean I’ve never faced hardship, Freddie. You don’t know everything about me.” She looks me dead on. “Tell me something—have you evenlookedfor other jobs? Or did you just jump at the first big paycheck that came your way?”
The question hits like a punch because... fuck. She’s right. I haven’t.
“There are other companies, Freddie. Good ones. Ones that don’t have blood on their hands.” Her voice catches.
For a moment, her words hit home. I haven’t looked anywhere else. Haven’t even tried. But the thought of waiting, of watching Mom work double shifts while I search for the perfect ethical job... I don’t have the luxury of looking around and waiting. And Alex is acting like I’m the devil in disguise when I haven’t even accepted the job. Heck, I only just found out after the poster session that I’d been shortlisted and had a good chance of getting it.
“You don’t care about anything, do you?” Alex’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “It’s all just a game to you.”
Something in me snaps. “How fucking dare you.” My voice comes out dangerous, barely controlled. “You have no idea what I’m dealing with.”
“Don’t I?”
“No, you don’t.” The words pour out like poison. “You want to talk about caring? Fine. Let’s talk about it. You can’t bring Emma back, Alex.”
The moment it leaves my mouth, I know I’ve gone too far. She stumbles back like I’ve hit her, all the color draining from her face.
