Chapter 10: Uncovering the Root
After the panel, Piaimitten approached Maya in the hallway, this time maintaining a respectful distance. "Miss Vance," he said quietly, "I want to apologize directly. I let years of burnout and bad assumptions dictate how I treated you. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right." Maya listened intently, seeing a flawed man genuinely attempting to reckon with his mistakes. "Apology accepted, Officer," she said softly. "Just remember that everyone you encounter has a story you don't know."
