Chapter 72
Chapter 72:
Eliza felt her face heat up. “Yes. Sorry about — running away p>
Dallas turned and held out a mug. “Black. Two sugars p>
He knew her order. He remembered everything.
Eliza took the mug. Her fingers trembled slightly. “Thank you p>
He didn’t move away. Instead, he stepped into her space. The kitchen was massive, but he made it feel like a closet.
“You can’t hide in the shower forever, Eliza,” he said softly.
He reached out, his hand large and warm, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his knuckles grazing her cheekbone. It was a tender gesture, at odds with the intensity in his eyes.
“I’m not a monk,” he stated plainly. “And you are my wife p>
𝖳𝗵𝘰𝘶𝗌𝘢ո𝗱𝗌 оf 𝗿𝖾𝘢𝖽ers o𝗇 𝗴alոo𝗏е𝘭ѕ.cо𝘮
Eliza gripped her mug, the heat seeping into her palms. “I know. I just — it’s new. Being us p>
“Take your time,” Dallas said. His thumb brushed her lower lip. “But don’t lock the door next time p>
He smirked, a wicked glint in his eyes, and walked away with his coffee — leaving Eliza standing in the middle of the kitchen with her heart pounding a chaotic rhythm against her ribs.
Two hours later, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Eliza stood in the office of Gavin Ross, S&D Design’s HR manager. The room smelled of stale coffee and aggressive cologne. Gavin sat behind his desk, looking strained, his polished shoes planted firmly on the floor. He didn’t stand when she entered.
“Close the door, Solomon,” he ordered, not looking up from his phone.
Eliza obeyed. She walked to the center of the room and remained standing. “Is there an issue, Mr. Ross p>
Gavin finally looked up. His eyes were cold and calculating. He gestured to the chair opposite his desk with a sigh.
“Sit down.” He waited until she did. “I got a call from Anson Hyde this morning. He’s very concerned about your transition here p>
A spike of ice hit Eliza’s stomach. Anson. He was like a virus that refused to leave her system.
“Anson doesn’t work here,” Eliza said. Her voice was steady, surprising even herself.
“No,” Gavin said, leaning forward on his elbows, his voice dropping. “But Hyde Consolidated is one of our biggest clients. They’re threatening to pull three major restoration contracts if we don’t accommodate their concerns about your — fragile condition p>
“My condition?” Eliza asked, her eyes narrowing.
“He claims the pressure of the main restoration team is too much for you,” Gavin said, looking genuinely annoyed. “He suggested, very strongly, that I reassign you to the Archive Team. In the basement. For your own good, of course p>
Eliza stared at him. The Archive Team wasn’t a restoration role. It was storage — moving heavy boxes in a windowless room, cataloging dead projects. It was where careers went to die.
“That’s not a restoration role,” Eliza said. “That’s a storage role. I was hired as a Junior Restoration Consultant p>