Chapter 11
Dominic waited.
Claire glanced down the hallway.
“Rebecca was wrong about my work. But she proved how easily people can explain my success through you.”
“I don’t care what Rebecca thinks.”
“I do.”
His expression tightened.
“Why?”
“Because I’ve spent ten years building a career nobody handed me. If we’re together, every promotion becomes your influence. Every opportunity becomes your favor. Every room I enter becomes a room someone thinks you opened.”
Dominic shook his head.
“I would never interfere with your career.”
“I believe you.”
He looked genuinely frustrated.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Other people won’t know that.”
He went silent.
Claire’s voice softened.
“You can walk into a room and change someone’s entire life with a sentence. I can’t. If people start believing I only matter because of you, everything I’ve worked for gets questioned.”
“I can make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“How?”
He started to answer.
Then stopped.
Because every possible solution involved using more power.
And using more power would prove her point.
For perhaps the first time in his adult life, Dominic Vale encountered a problem that couldn’t be solved by money, influence, or intimidation.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked quietly.
Claire’s eyes burned.
“I don’t know.”
He studied her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
“All right.”
He stepped back.
And let her walk away.
The following week felt strangely empty.
Dominic stopped appearing at her desk.
No coffee.
No flowers.
No ridiculous questions about fictional hobbies.
When he visited the building, he went directly to meetings and left afterward.
Claire tried to convince herself that the silence was a relief.
She had reports to finish.
A possible promotion to prepare for.
A life that had existed perfectly well before Dominic Vale entered it.
But the coffee from the vending machine tasted particularly awful.
And the office seemed quieter.
Even Ethan noticed.
“Where’s your terrifying admirer?”
Claire didn’t look up.
“Working, presumably.”
“Is he sick?”
“Why would he be sick?”
“Because he hasn’t spent the last three mornings pretending to have urgent business in payroll.”
Claire gave him a look.
Ethan leaned against her cubicle.
“Did something happen?”
“We had a conversation.”
“Ah.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing good ever follows those words.”
Claire sighed.
Ethan’s expression softened.
“Do you miss him?”
“No.”
He waited.
She looked down.
“A little.”
“Claire.”
She finally met his eyes.
“More than a little.”