Chapter 24

Claire's POV Theo was distant with me all day. Every time I approached his office, he was either on a call or in a meeting. When we did interact, his responses were polite but cool, lacking any hint of the intimacy we'd shared. His gray eyes no longer lingered on mine; his voice no longer softened when he spoke my name. By the end of the workday, my spirits had plummeted. I lingered at my desk, hoping for some sign—any sign—that what we'd shared had meant something to him. But the hours stretched on, and his door remained firmly closed. When I finally left, he was still in his office, showing no indication that he planned to acknowledge me. As I drove home, my phone rang. My mother's name flashed on the screen. "Claire, honey," she said when I answered, "could you come by the house tonight? There's something we need to discuss." Something in her tone set off warning bells. "Is everything okay? Is it Dad?" "Everything's fine," she assured me quickly. "Just... please come by after work."