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For the next twenty minutes, I walk through the shelter with Jules while crews continue working around us. Smoke damage has already been removed from most areas. Fresh drywall covers entire sections of the building. New kennels are being installed near the rear treatment room. Volunteers organize donations in temporary storage areas while animals housed on-site bark and meow in protest at the constant activity.

Maggie eventually notices something. She stops beside me near the adoption office and slowly turns in a circle.

“Alexei.”

“Yes?” I ask, already knowing where this conversation is headed.

“Why are there so many contractors here?”

I stay silent.

Her eyes narrow. “Oh no.”

“Maggie.”

She points toward the crews installing drywall. “You did somethin’.”

“I accelerated the timeline.”

“Alexei,” she says slowly.

“The shelter will reopen as quickly as possible,” I explain.

She stares at me. “You hired all these people?”

“Yes.”

“All of them?” Her eyes widen.

“Yes.”

“How many crews is that?”

I consider the question. “Five.”

Jules walks past, carrying paperwork, and snorts. “Seven. There are seven crews.”

I ignore him.

Maggie continues staring at me. “You hired seven construction crews.”

“The shelter is important,” I reply.

Understanding dawns across her face, and I know she sees the truth. This was never only about reopening the shelter. It was always about her.

I reach for her hand. “Maggie.”

She squeezes my fingers. “You really are impossible.”

“I’m aware.”

She laughs shakily before she leans against me.

I wrap an arm around her shoulders and guide her toward a quieter section near the administrative offices.

Her expression turns serious the moment she sees mine. “What happened?” she asks.

I close the office door behind us. “The fire investigation was completed this morning.”