Chapter 58
Chapter 58:
He hadn’t spoken a word to her all morning. This wasn’t the cold shoulder of a lover’s quarrel. It was the calculated distance of a general repositioning his troops after a perceived threat. She had been in danger. He had been scared. And now he was building walls to ensure it never happened again.
She pushed her spoon around her bowl of oatmeal. She couldn’t live inside his fortress forever. If she remained only a protected asset, she would eventually become a prisoner of his fear. She needed to build her own walls, her own life — so she could stand beside him, not behind him.
Dallas’s eyes dropped to her hand, which trembled faintly against the ceramic bowl.
“Speak,” he commanded, his voice low and resonant in the quiet room. “You are vibrating p>
Eliza drew a breath and released the spoon. It clattered against the bowl — a sharp sound that made her wince.
“I want to apply to S&D Design,” she said, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “For the Junior Restorer position p>
Dallas didn’t blink. His face was a mask of indifference, but his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on the edge of the tablet. He knew exactly which listing she meant. He had been staring at it on his phone just the night before.
“It is the best firm in the city,” he noted dryly.
“I know.” Eliza sat up straighter, reaching for the same confidence she had felt in the hospital when she stood up to Anson. “I updated my portfolio. I want to do this on my own merit. I don’t want handouts p>
“Merit is good,” Dallas said, lifting his coffee cup. “But connections are faster p>
“No calls, Dallas.” She leaned forward. “Please. I need to know I’m good enough. After everything with the Hydes, I need to know I have value that isn’t attached to a last name p>
𝘋o𝘸n𝗹оa𝖽 𝖯𝖣𝖥𝘀 𝗳𝘳𝘦𝗲 o𝗇
Dallas looked at her determined eyes. He saw the fire there — the same fire that had made her slap Anson. He respected it. He gave a single nod. “As you wish p>
He took a sip of coffee, concealing the slight curve of his lip. He didn’t tell her that he was the majority shareholder of S&D Design. He didn’t tell her that Augustina Koch, the founder, was his aunt. He would let her have her merit.
Ping.
The elevator doors slid open. Azalea burst into the room in a whirlwind of shopping bags and chaotic energy.
“Eliza! Emergency!” she announced, dropping the bags on the pristine marble floor.
Dallas sighed. The peace was gone.
“I need a plus-one for the gallery opening tonight,” Azalea continued, ignoring her father entirely. She snatched a croissant from the center platter. “And I invited Liam p>
The air in the room instantly froze. It was a physical drop in temperature.
Dallas slowly set down his coffee cup. The porcelain clinked against the saucer.
He turned his head toward Azalea. The movement was slow and predatory.
“Dr. Sumner?” His voice was deceptively calm — the surface of a lake before a storm.
“Yes!” Azalea grinned, oblivious to the danger. “He’s dreamy, he’s a doctor, and he likes art. Perfect for Eliza! He kept asking about her p>
The blood drained from Eliza’s face. She kicked Azalea under the table. Hard.
“Azalea, I’m married,” Eliza hissed.