#Chapter 176: The Tire

Agnes My heart lurched painfully in my chest. Thea’s violin recital. How could I have forgotten something so important? Elijah’s eyes swept over my chaotic office, taking in the scattered sketches, fabric samples, and prototypes. Then his gaze returned to me, and I saw the concern etched into the lines around his mouth as he noted my disheveled state. I knew what he was seeing—the dark circles under my eyes, the hollowness in my cheeks, the way my clothes hung looser than they had just a few weeks ago. Shit. I really had been neglecting everything, including myself. But more importantly, I’d been neglecting Thea. “I’m so sorry,” I said, already shoving papers into folders and gathering my things. “I completely lost track of the days. What time is the recital?” “Six o’clock,” Elijah replied, checking his watch. “So we have about an hour and a half.” I glanced down at my ink-stained hands and wrinkled clothes. There was no way I could show up lookin