Chapter 36
Chapter 36:
“You noticed?” she asked, her voice going soft. Anson had never noticed. In ten years, Anson had never once remembered the onions.
“I notice details, Eliza,” Dallas said, still not looking up. “It’s good business p>
What he didn’t let show was the memory from the night before: him, alone at his desk long after midnight, reviewing the comprehensive file his security team had compiled on her. It ran to dozens of pages — academic records, financial history, personal habits. He had skimmed most of it, but two entries had made him stop. The first was a short list of dietary notes: Dislikes raw onions. Prefers tea over coffee. The second was a single line in her medical summary, highlighted in red: Severe anaphylactic allergy: mango. He had closed the file with both items burned permanently into his memory.
Eliza felt warmth spread through her chest, steadier and deeper than the food could account for. This wasn’t business. You didn’t update household files for business assets.
She reached into her pocket and closed her fingers around the velvet pouch. Her palm was damp.
“I — I got the things,” she said. Her voice sounded small in the large room.
Dallas set his knife and fork down on the edge of his plate with careful deliberateness. He wiped his mouth with the linen napkin.
“Show me,” he said.
Eliza drew out the small black velvet pouch, loosened the drawstring, and tipped the rings onto the marble tabletop.
They spun for a moment before settling — two plain silver bands, simple and quiet. Against the vast expanse of expensive stone, they looked tiny. Insignificant. Like something from a different world entirely.
Iոst𝗮𝘯𝗍 𝘢𝖼c𝖾s𝘀 о𝗇 ѕ.𝖼𝗈𝗺
Dallas stared at them without blinking. He looked at them as though they were the Hope Diamond.
“They’re simple,” Eliza began, her throat tightening. “I know they aren’t what you’re used to, but p>
Dallas reached out. His hand, large and steady, picked up the larger ring. The silver caught the light of the chandelier. He turned it over, tilting it slightly to read the inscription inside.
“Fortune?” he read aloud. His voice was a low rumble.
“And mine says Prosperity,” Eliza explained quickly, her heart hammering against her ribs. “For our venture. To bring luck to the partnership.” She braced herself for the mockery. It’s silver. It’s cheap. It’s practically a joke.
“It’s silver,” she added, the apology spilling out. “Not platinum p>
Dallas looked up at her. His eyes were dark and intent, and completely devoid of mockery.
“It is perfect,” he said. His voice came out rough, as though something had caught in his throat. He held the ring out to her. “Put it on me p>
Eliza blinked. “Now p>
“Now,” he said.
He extended his left hand across the table — fingers long, elegant, powerful. The hand of a man who had built empires.
Eliza’s hand trembled as she took the ring. She reached across, her fingertips brushing against his warm skin, and slid the silver band onto his ring finger. It caught slightly at the knuckle, then settled at the base with a quiet finality.
A perfect fit.