Chapter 132

Agnes

Once I got home, I slammed the front door behind me and leaned against the wood. The tears were still flowing freely down my cheeks, and I couldn’t seem to stop them no matter how hard I tried. Covering my mouth, I slid down until I was sitting on the floor, pulling my knees up to my chest.

“Agnes?”

My head snapped up. Elijah was standing in the entryway to the living room, his brow furrowed. When he saw the state I was in, his expression immediately darkened.

“What happened?” he asked, crossing the space between us in three long strides. He crouched down in front of me, his eyes scanning my face. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head, trying to wipe away my tears, but they just kept coming. “No, I’m not hurt. I just—” I couldn’t finish.

Elijah’s gaze shifted to the door behind me, then back to my face. “You went out,” he said flatly.

I nodded, my cheeks flushing. “I just needed fabric swatches,” I said. “For the gown. I thought it would be okay if I just—”

“Agnes, I told you to stay home,” he cut in, a flash of frustration crossing his face. “It’s not safe for you out there right now.”

“I know,” I said. “I’m sorry. I just… I thought if I wore a disguise—”

“A disguise?” he asked, his eyebrows rising.

I gestured weakly to my hoodie and sunglasses, which were now clutched in my hand. “No one recognized me, for what it’s worth. I just… heard them talking about me.”

Elijah’s expression softened ever so slightly. “What did they say?”

I swallowed hard, looking down at my hands. I didn’t want to repeat those cruel words, especially not to him. But when I felt his warm palm cup my cheek, gently tilting my face up to meet his gaze, the words spilled out of me.

“They said I’m not right in the head after losing my child,” I whispered. “That I’m taking advantage of your good heart. That it’s only a matter of time before you come to your senses and go back to Olivia because she’s your true mate and the mother of your child.”

Elijah’s face hardened, his jaw clenching so tight I could see the muscle ticking in his cheek. For a moment, he didn’t speak. But then he reached forward, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

“You are not insane,” he said firmly. “And you are not taking advantage of me.” His eyes held mine.

“But what if they’re right?” I choked out. “What if my child really isn’t out there, and I’m just as mad as everyone has been making me out to be these past seven years?”

“Is that really what you think?” he asked, his brow furrowing. “That you’re exactly what they assume you to be?”

I shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Elijah sighed, shifting to sit beside me on the floor, his back against the door. To my surprise, he reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers. The warmth of his palm against mine sent a flutter through my stomach.

“Even if your daughter isn’t out there anymore,” he said, and we both winced at those words, “you’re not crazy for searching for her. And if I felt like you were manipulating me, I wouldn’t be helping you look for her.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Elijah cut me off, shooting me a sidelong glance. “I made the decision to help you. I did. Because I care about you.”

My stomach twisted. I glanced down at our joined hands, feeling a strange sensation wash over me. Elijah was silent for a long moment. When I finally worked up the courage to look at him again, I found him already watching me, his gaze intense and filled with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“I want this,” he said simply. “I want to help you. I want to see you happy.”

I didn’t realize it until now, but we were close enough that I could feel his warm breath against the side of my face. My heart thrummed slightly in my chest, and I felt an inexplicable urge to close the distance between us.

And for a moment, I almost did. My mind wandered back to the day I’d slapped my stepmother in this very room, when Elijah had kissed me against this very door. I could practically taste his lips even now. I wanted to taste them again, just for a moment.

Slowly, I began to lean toward him, as if drawn together by a fishing line. Elijah hesitated, his eyes flickering to my lips; but then he began to move forward, too. His eyes slowly began to close, mouth parting as if to—

“Daddy? Mommy?”

We both jumped apart like teenagers caught in the act. Thea was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a puzzled look on her face.

“What are you doing on the floor?” she asked, tilting her head.

Elijah cleared his throat, standing up and offering me a hand. “Just talking,” he said, pulling me to my feet. “Everything okay, sweetheart?”

Thea nodded, although her eyes lingered on me, taking in my tear-stained face with a frown. “Are you okay?”

I managed a smile, smoothing down my rumpled clothes. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just had a rough day, that’s all.”

She didn’t look entirely convinced, but she didn’t push the issue. Instead, she held up a piece of paper. “Can you please help me with my homework?”

…

The next morning, I woke to unexpected news: I was allowed to return to work. Elijah had apparently handled the media troubles. He was already at work when I came downstairs, and James took me to the office.

The morning passed in a blur of catching up, reviewing designs, and discussing the timeline for the new collection. It felt good to be back in the office after nearly two weeks away. It felt like normalcy was beginning to return.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that I finally had a moment alone with Elijah. He stopped by my office, leaning against the doorframe.

“How’s it feel to be back?” he asked.

I looked up from the sketches spread across my desk. “Wonderful,” I admitted, setting aside my pencil. “Thank you for making it happen.”

He shrugged, as if it was nothing. “I just did some damage control. Issued a statement, talked to a few people who owed me some favors. It’s not perfect, but it should keep the wolves at bay for a while.”

I stood up, crossing the room to stand in front of him. “Still, I appreciate it. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”

His eyes softened as they met mine. “It was worth it,” he said simply. “I meant what I said yesterday when I told you that I want to see you happy.”

My heart fluttered in my chest. Before I could overthink it, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” I whispered again.

When I pulled back, his eyes were ever so slightly wider than before, and there was a slight flush coloring his cheeks. He cleared his throat, straightening. “I should let you get back to work. Will you be okay getting home with James later?”

I nodded. “Of course. I’ll see you at dinner?”

He nodded, glancing at his watch. “It’s a date,” he said, the phrase making my heart throb again even though I knew it was a benign choice of words.

After he left, I returned to my desk, my mind racing. Once again, Elijah had done so much for me, and a fluffy robe didn’t feel like enough of a thank-you. I wanted to do something nice for him. Something really nice, this time. Something to finally show him just how grateful I was for everything he did for me.

I knew exactly what to do.

With that, I pulled out a fresh sketchpad and began drawing. Not another gown or dress, but a suit—a custom-tailored suit specifically designed for Elijah.

I was deep into working on the design, wanting to ensure it was perfect, when a knock on my office door caught my attention. I looked up from my sketchpad, and my stomach sank.

Olivia was standing there with a basket of fruit in her hands.