Chapter 181
Chapter 181:
Dallas walked Eliza toward her, their fingers firmly interlaced.
“Grandmother,” he called out.
Gigi looked up from the plush interior. Her eyes widened. “Dallas? And… Eliza p>
She took in their joined hands. She took in the way Dallas was standing — angled slightly in front of Eliza, shielding her without appearing to.
“I took your advice,” Dallas said smoothly. “I stole her p>
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝘦 𝗰𝘰𝗺𝘮𝗎𝗇𝘪t𝗒 𝘢𝗍
He turned, cupped Eliza’s face in both hands, and kissed her. There in the garage, unhurried and deliberate, a kiss that left absolutely no room for interpretation.
Gigi’s eyes went wide. Then she settled back into her seat, a slow, triumphant smile spreading across her face. She clapped her gloved hands together once.
“Finally! A Koch with initiative! Bring her to tea on Sunday. Don’t be late.” The Rolls Royce pulled away.
Eliza buried her face in Dallas’s chest. “She thinks you just stole me from a fictional accountant named Ben p>
“Let her think that,” Dallas said, kissing the top of her head. “The secret is half out. That’s enough for now p>
The penthouse was quiet that evening. They ate the reheated steak from the bento box sitting on the floor by the coffee table. It felt intimate. Domestic.
“Gigi invites us to tea on Sunday,” Dallas said, refilling their wine glasses. The tension of the business day had drained from him visibly, leaving something easier in its place.
“She thinks you’re a pirate who stole me,” Eliza laughed, poking him with her fork.
“I am,” Dallas smirked. “I plunder. I conquer p>
Eliza’s phone rang.
The sound cut through the room like a blade. She looked at the screen. Unknown number. Area code 516. Havenport.
Her stomach dropped.
“Hello p>
“Eliza? It’s Uncle Buck p>
The voice was gravelly, roughened by years of cigarettes. Eliza went still. She hadn’t spoken to Buck Solomon in years — not since he had signed her guardianship papers over to Anson.
“Uncle Buck?” she said quietly. “Is everything okay p>
“No. It’s the estate. It’s gone, Eliza. The bank is foreclosing on Monday.” He sounded desperate. Cornered.
“What? But Mom’s studio — the archives —” She stood up, nearly upsetting the bento box.
“Everything. They’re auctioning the contents. Your mother’s paintings. The family silver. The furniture.” He broke into a hacking cough. “We need you to sign off on the trust release. Or we lose it all. We lose your heritage p>
“I’ll come,” Eliza said, before she had finished the thought. The idea of her mother’s artwork sold off to strangers and scattered to the wind was unbearable.
“Good girl. Come tomorrow. Alone. We have paperwork,” Buck said quickly, and hung up.
Eliza lowered the phone. Her hands were trembling.
Dallas was watching her. He had gone completely still, his instincts quietly activated.
“Who was that p>
“My uncle. Solomon Industries is bankrupt. They’re foreclosing on my childhood home on Monday,” Eliza said, tears gathering in her eyes. “They’re selling everything p>
“I can buy it,” Dallas said immediately, without a flicker of hesitation. “How much? Ten million? Twenty? I’ll wire it tonight p>