ELODIE’S POV~
Before Johnny could say anything, Mr. Kim jumped in with a smile that was just a bit too eager.
"Miss Brown, you’re being far too modest. Everyone here knows you’re top-tier talent in the AI field." He gestured broadly, like he was stating an obvious fact. "Your relationship with President Wilson aside, no one would consider it using connections. Honestly, if you joined Wilson Tech, our projects would run so much smoother. Why don’t you reconsider?"
Sienna’s smile was small and demure. "I’ll think about it."
Translation: I can join whenever I want. The door’s always open.
Another reminder. Another way Dante treated her differently than he’d ever treated .
I could list them all if I wanted to. Could enurate every single way he’d shown her consideration, trust, respect, all the things he’d withheld from .
But what would be the point?
I picked up my water glass. Took a sip just to give myself sothing to do.
That’s when I saw him.
Through the glass door of the conference room.
Dante.
I froze, my glass halfway to my lips.
He was looking into the room. His eyes swept across the table, across Johnny, across Mr. Kim and Director Quinn.
Across .
But his gaze didn’t linger. Didn’t pause. Just moved on like I was part of the furniture.
I set my glass down carefully and turned my attention back to the contract.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Sienna smile. Saw her give a small, subtle wave toward the door.
Greeting him.
"I should get going," Sienna said, standing gracefully.
That’s when Mr. Kim and the others noticed Dante outside. They started to rise, ready to greet their boss properly but Dante waved them off.
He stepped inside. "No need to get up. Keep working."
They settled back down, but the energy in the room had shifted. Everyone sat a little straighter. Smiled a little wider.
It was almost noon. Obviously, Dante had co to pick Sienna up for lunch.
Like a boyfriend would.
Like a partner would.
He turned to Johnny. "I apologize for not hosting you personally. There’s a lot to handle today."
Johnny smiled, professionally. "Mr. Wilson, no need to apologize. I completely understand. You’re a busy man."
Dante’s smile was just brief but polite.
Then his eyes flicked to .
Just for a second.
I t his gaze. Didn’t look away. Didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing flinch.
He said nothing.
Just turned and left with Sienna following close behind and the door clicked shut.
Silence filled the conference room for a beat.
Johnny’s gentle hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed softly.
I shook my head before he could say anything.
I was fine. I was. fine.
When we’d headed to Wilson Tech this morning, I’d ntally prepared myself for the possibility of seeing Dante. That much, I’d expected.
What I hadn’t expected was Sienna being here too.
A few days ago, when Mr. Kim ntioned that Sienna had visited Wilson Tech before, I’d assud it was occasional. A handful of tis, maybe. Special occasions.
But this?
This was different.
Sienna walked into Dante’s company like she owned the place. Like it was her second ho. She knew everyone. Everyone knew her.
She could co and go as she pleased.
And they all welcod her. Smiled at her. Made space for her.
Treated her like the future Mrs. Wilson.
While I... the actual current Mrs. Wilson had never been allowed through these doors until today.
Until business made it necessary.
Mr. Kim was talking again, going over another clause in the contract.
I forced myself to focus. To nod. To take notes.
But my hand was shaking slightly as I wrote.
The contract negotiations dragged on.
Every clause had to be examined. Every technical specification was being discussed. Every potential point of dispute identified and resolved before it could beco a problem later.
This was important work, yes, but exhausting.
By the ti we finally finished going through everything, it was past five.
Johnny signed his na with a flourish, then slid the docunt across to Mr. Kim.
"I’ll take this upstairs for President Wilson’s signature," Mr. Kim said, standing.
Johnny paused. "Mr. Wilson is still here?"
"Yes. He’s handling another project. Very busy today."
Mr. Kim left the room, with the contract in hand.
Johnny glanced at .
I knew what he was thinking. Sa thing I was thinking.
Was Dante really that busy? Or was he just avoiding coming down here because I was in the building?
Probably the latter.
Mr. Kim and Johnny had worked together before, they knew each other from industry events, conferences, that sort of thing. Now that the contract was signed, the atmosphere in the room relaxed. Now less formal.
Mr. Kim leaned back in his chair, cleared his throat lightly, and lowered his voice.
"Miss Brown is still here too, you know. Been with President Wilson all day, from what I heard." He smiled. Knowing. "Their relationship is... quite solid."
I was sitting right next to Johnny.
Of course I heard.
Of course Mr. Kim knew I’d hear.
Maybe that was the point.
I kept my face neutral. Took a sip of water that had long gone room temperature.
A while later, Mr. Kim returned with the signed contract.
Dante’s signature was at the bottom.
Johnny had sowhere to be that evening, to deal with so personal thing he’d ntioned earlier, so when Mr. Kim invited us to dinner, he politely declined.
"Another ti," Johnny said with an easy smile.
Mr. Kim and the other managers didn’t push. Just walked us to the elevator, while still making small talk.
The elevator doors opened. And there they were.
Dante and Sienna, standing inside together.
Johnny stopped short. "Well. What a coincidence."
Dante’s expression didn’t change. "Quite a coincidence."
The elevator was small. There were four of us plus Mr. Kim and Director Quinn. It would be cramped. Uncomfortable.
Johnny made the call. "There are more of us. Why don’t you two go ahead? We’ll catch the next one."
"Alright," Dante said. "See you next ti."
"See you."
The doors slid shut.
And we stood there in the hallway, waiting.
Nobody said anything.
What was there to say?
A minute later, the elevator returned. Empty this ti.
We got in and the doors closed.
My phone rang and I saw that it was Liora.
I glanced at the screen, then at the others in the elevator. "Excuse ."
I answered. "Hello?"
"Mom! Are you done with work yet? When are you coming ho?"
Her voice was bright and it made my chest ache.
Since my injury, Liora has called every day. Checking on . Making sure I was okay. And last night, when I’d told her my ankle was healed, she’d asked when I’d be coming ho.
I’d been too busy to give her a definite answer. But now...
"I just finished," I said. "I’ll be ho soon."
"Really? Okay! I’ll see you soon then!"
She sounded so happy.
I hung up just as the elevator reached the ground floor.
The doors opened and we all stepped out.
Mr. Kim was looking at with curiosity. "Miss Miller, you have children?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"Really?" He looked genuinely surprised. "I couldn’t tell. You look so young."
He’d probably assud Johnny and I were together. We worked well together, spent a lot of ti in each other’s company. Johnny was attentive, protective, even.
Easy to assu we were a couple.
And I looked young for soone who already had a kid.
I didn’t bother explaining. Didn’t see the point.
"Just one daughter," I said simply.
"Well, she’s lucky to have you," Mr. Kim said pleasantly.
I smiled. Politely, although my smile was empty and gladly he didn’t notice.
Was Liora lucky?
Liora, who called Sienna for advice before calling ? Who spent more ti at Dante’s house than at mine? Who was slowly drifting away no matter how hard I tried to hold on?
Was she lucky to have a mother who was falling apart? Who couldn’t keep her marriage together? Who was watching her family disintegrate in slow motion?
I didn’t feel like she was lucky.
But I just smiled and said, "Thank you."
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