"I know."
Margaret watched closely.
"How much can you contribute?"
Emma looked at her.
"Whatever is needed."
Margaret smiled.
"Even if it means spending your savings?"
"Yes."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
Emma touched his arm.
"I love you."
Margaret heard the words.
For the first time, she wondered whether she had misjudged the girl.
But she didn't know what Emma hadn't told them.
The money wasn't coming from savings.
It was coming from an account that contained more money than Margaret had earned in her entire life.
Emma didn't tell Daniel.
She didn't tell Margaret.
And she certainly didn't tell anyone that the company Daniel worked for was partly owned by her family.
She wanted one thing.
To know whether Daniel loved her—
or what came with her name.
Three weeks later, Daniel received terrible news.
His company was restructuring.
Several departments were being eliminated.
His position was one of them.
He came home that evening and sat in silence.
Emma found him at the kitchen table.
"What happened?"
"I lost my job."
She sat beside him.
"I'm sorry."
"I don't know what I'm going to do."
"We'll figure it out."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"My mother was right."
"About what?"
"She said I needed stability."
Emma looked at him.
"Do you want to leave me?"
"No."
"Then don't."
He looked at her.
She took his hand.
"We can start again."
"What if I can't find another job?"
"Then we'll manage."
"What if it takes months?"
"Then it takes months."
"What if we have to move?"
"I'll pack."
Daniel stared at her.
"You really mean that."
Emma smiled.
"I told you."
He leaned toward her.
"I love you."
She kissed his forehead.
"I know."
The following morning, Daniel received a phone call.
A company wanted to interview him.
A very large company.
One of the largest in the region.
Daniel couldn't understand why.
He hadn't applied.
The company had contacted him directly.
He went to the interview.
The office was enormous.
Glass walls.
Marble floors.
Private elevators.
Executives walking quickly through the halls.
Daniel felt out of place.
Then the receptionist smiled.
"Mr. Hale?"
"Yes."
"Ms. Whitmore is expecting you."
Daniel froze.
"Who?"
"Elena Whitmore."
The name meant nothing to him.
He entered the office.
Elena was a woman in her fifties.
Elegant.
Calm.
Extremely confident.
She stood.
"Daniel."
"Yes."
"Please sit."
They spoke for forty minutes.
At the end, Elena offered him a position.
Daniel stared at the contract.
"This is much higher than my previous position."
"We know."
"Why me?"
Elena smiled.
"Someone recommended you."
"Who?"
"That isn't important."
Daniel accepted.
When he returned home, Emma was cooking.
He hugged her.
"I got a job."
She smiled.
"I knew you would."
"You didn't ask where."
"Where?"
He told her.