Chapter 14
“Immediately. No recommendation, no vote, no involvement. He said your work needed to stand entirely on its own.”
For a moment, Claire couldn’t speak.
Thomas continued explaining the next steps.
But she barely heard him.
Dominic could have helped.
He could have influenced the committee without anyone ever knowing.
Instead, he’d deliberately surrendered that influence.
Not because she’d demanded it.
Not because someone had forced his hand.
Because he finally understood what she was trying to protect.
Her independence wasn’t an obstacle to overcome.
It was something worth respecting.
When the meeting ended, Claire returned to her desk.
She sat for several minutes staring at the coffee beside her keyboard.
Then she stood.
For weeks, Dominic had been coming to find her.
Now he wasn’t.
So she went to find him.
Dominic was alone in his office when she appeared.
He looked genuinely surprised.
“Claire.”
“Do you have a minute?”
“For you? Yes.”
She stepped inside.
“I heard you removed yourself from the promotion decision.”
His expression became guarded.
“I did.”
“Why?”
“You told me you didn’t want your career associated with my influence.”
“I didn’t ask you to disappear.”
“I wasn’t sure where respecting your independence ended and pursuing you began.”
Claire stared at him.
There it was.
The answer she’d been waiting for.
Not a perfect answer.
Not a romantic speech.
Just honesty.
She stepped closer.
“Try asking.”
Dominic frowned slightly.
“Asking?”
“Yes.”
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then the intimidating chairman, the powerful businessman, the feared head of the Vale organization, suddenly looked like an ordinary man who wasn’t entirely certain he could survive another rejection.
“Claire.”
“Dominic.”
“Would you have dinner with me?”
She tilted her head.
“Where?”
“Anywhere you like.”
“No private chef?”
“No.”
“No restaurant bought out for the evening?”
“No.”
“No security team pretending to be waiters?”
His mouth twitched.
“Absolutely not.”
“And no diamonds?”
“Not one.”
Claire pretended to think.
Dominic narrowed his eyes.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Immensely.”
“Claire.”
She smiled.
“Yes.”
He blinked.
“Yes, you’re enjoying this?”
“Yes, I’ll have dinner with you.”
For a second, the relief on his face was so unguarded that it almost broke her heart.
Then he smiled.
A real smile.
Not the controlled expression he used in meetings.
Not the dangerous half-smile that made people nervous.
Just Dominic.
A man who had finally learned to ask instead of command.
Claire stepped forward and kissed his cheek.