11 A Resigned Heart at Dinner
ra took a deep breath before stepping back into the dining room. The conversation she’d overheard earlier between Damien and Vivienne’s father kept reying in her
mind.
*Please take good care of her,” Alistair had said about Vivienne.
The stark contrast between his paternal concern for her half–sister and hisplete disregard for her own well–being over the years stung. She had never once heard those words directed toward her.
Eleanor beamed when ra returned to the table. “There you are, dear. Come sit.
We’re discussing the charity g next month.”
Victoria Sterling, Damien’s mother, nced up with cold eyes. “Will you be attending, ra? I assumed you’d be too busy with your… new job.”
The emphasis on “new job” dripped with disdain. Victoria had never approved of ra working outside the family business, viewing it as somehow beneath the Thorne family image.
“I haven’t decided yet,” ra replied calmly, reiming her seat.
Sabrina, Damien’s sister, smirked. “Father would be disappointed to see his preciouspany losing its most dedicated secretary.”
ra maintained herposure. “I’ve already submitted my resignation from Thorne Industries, actually. My recement starts training next week.”
A hush fell over the table. Eleanor’s fork paused halfway to her mouth. Victoria’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.
“You resigned?” Eleanor asked, concern evident in her voice. “But you’ve worked there for years.”
“Seven years,” ra confirmed. “It was time for a change.”
Damien, who had just returned to the dining room, frowned. “You never mentioned
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11 A Resigned Heart at Dinner
resigning.”
“I left the letter on your desk yesterday,” ra replied without looking at him. “Along with the quarterly reports you requested.”
Before Damien could respond, the door swung open as Ethan Thorne, his younger brother, sauntered in with his usual carefree air.
“Sorry I’mte. Traffic was murder.” He kissed Eleanor’s cheek and nodded to Damien. When he spotted ra, his face lit up. “ra! Haven’t seen you in ages. You look… different.”
“She’s lost too much weight,” Eleanormented, eyeing ra with grandmotherly concern. “You’re practically disappearing, dear.”
“I’ve been busy,” ra said softly.
Cora tugged at ra’s sleeve. “Mommy, look what Great–Grandma got me!” She proudly disyed a delicate bracelet with small diamond charms.
“It’s beautiful, sweetheart.” ra smiled genuinely for the first time that evening.
“I got matching ones for you and Aunt Vivi too!” Cora continued excitedly. “Great–Grandma says it’s a symbol of family.”
ra’s smile froze. She caught Damien watching her, his expression unreadable.
“How thoughtful,” she managed to say, though the words felt like ss in her throat.
Eleanor, oblivious to the tension, patted Cora’s hand. “Family is everything, little one.
Remember that.”
The staff began serving the main course, momentarily distracting everyone. ra used the opportunity topose herself, focusing on cutting her food into small, precise pieces she had no appetite for.
“So, what’s this new job that’s stolen you away from Thorne Industries?” Sabrina asked, her tone deceptively light.
“I’m returning to AI development,” ra replied. “My original field before I joined
Thorne Industries.”
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11 A Resigned Heart at Dinner
“With that… friend of yours? The entric one?” Victoria asked with thinly veiled disapproval.
“Julian Croft,” ra supplied. “Yes, I’m rejoining YodaVision as Chief Innovation Officer.”
Ethan whistled. “Impressive title.”
“Julian always did have a soft spot for you,” Victoriamented, the implication clear
in her tone.
“He values my expertise,” ra replied evenly. “We founded thepany together in college.”
“And you abandoned it for marriage,” Sabrina added with false sympathy.
ra met her gaze directly. “A decision I’m now rectifying.”
The loaded statement hung in the air. Eleanor nced between ra and Damien with sudden concern, while Victoria’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“What exactly does that mean?” Victoria demanded.
Before ra could respond, Damien cut in smoothly. “It means ra is exploring her professional options. Something we should all support.”
His unexpected defense surprised ra, though she knew it was merely to avoid a scene at his grandmother’s dinner table.
“Mommy’s really smart,” Cora dered proudly. “That’s what Daddy says.”
This simple statement caught ra off guard. She nced at Damien, who was suddenly very interested in his wine ss.
“Your father is right,” Eleanor agreed warmly. “Your mother has always been brilliant.”
The conversation shifted to safer topics as the meal progressed. ra participated minimally, offering polite smiles and brief responses when required. Inside, she felt hollowed out, going through the motions of a family dinner that no longer held meaning for her.
When dessert was served, Eleanor announced, “We should rearrange the seating. Damien, why don’t you sit beside ra? You’ve barely spoken to your wife all evening.”
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The familiar matchmaking attempt–one that would have once given ra hope–now felt like a particrly cruel joke.
“It’s alright, Grandma,” ra said with a gentle smile, though her eyes remained distant. “This seating arrangement is fine.”
Eleanor looked surprised by the refusal. In the past, ra would have eagerly epted any opportunity to be closer to Damien. Her quiet resistance signaled a shift that wasn’t lost on the sharp–eyed matriarch. .
“Nonsense,” Eleanor insisted. “Damien, move next to your wife.”
With obvious reluctance, Damienplied, taking the seat beside ra. She could feel the heat from his body, smell his familiar cologne. Once, his proximity would have made her heart race with hope. Now, it simply reminded her of everything she was losing—had already lost.
“When will Aunt Vivi be back from her trip?” Cora asked Damien, oblivious to the tension between her parents.
“Sunday evening,” Damien replied. “After her race.”
“Can I stay upte to watch it on TV?” Cora pleaded.
“We’ll see,” Damien said, his expression softening as it always did with their daughter.
ra felt a familiar pang watching them. Damien had never looked at her with such genuine affection.
“Perhaps ra could watch it with you,” Eleanor suggested, still trying to create family moments where none existed.
“Mommy doesn’t like racing,” Cora stated matter–of–factly. “She gets that sad face
when Aunt Vivi races.”
The innocent observation silenced the table again. ra felt Damien shift
ufortably beside her.
“I’m just nervous about the dangers,” ra said carefully, protecting her daughter from theplicated truth. “But if you want to watch, of course you can.”
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“With Daddy,” Cora rified, as if correcting a misunderstanding.
“Yes,” ra agreed softly. “With Daddy.”
*52
The remainder of dinner passed in a blur of forced conversation and awkward silences. When Eleanor finally suggested they move to the drawing room for coffee, ra seized the opportunity.
“I should actually be going” she said, rising from her seat. “Early meeting tomorrow.”
“But you just got here,” Eleanor protested. “Surely you can stay a bit longer.”
“I’m afraid not.” ra bent to kiss Cora’s cheek. “Be good for Daddy, sweetheart. I’ll see you this weekend.”
Cora hugged her briefly before turning her attention back to her dessert. The casual dismissal hurt, but ra maintained herposure.
“I’ll walk you out,” Damien offered unexpectedly.
In the grand foyer, away from prying eyes, ra finally allowed herself to exhale.
“You didn’t have to resign,” Damien said quietly.
“Yes, I did.” ra met his gaze steadily. “Being your secretary while you divorce me
would be… untenable.”
“You were never just my secretary.”
“No,” she agreed. “I was your wife too. But soon I’ll be neither.”
Something flickered across Damien’s face–difort, perhaps, or maybe just impatience to end the conversation.
“About what Cora said, regarding Vivienne’s racing-”
ra held up a hand to stop him. “It doesn’t matter, Damien. Our daughter is observant, that’s all.”
“She shouldn’t be keeping secrets from you.”
“There will be many things about our lives that Cora won’t understand,” ra said
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wearily. “We’ll both need to shield her from certain truths while she’s young.”
Damien studied her face. “You’ve changed.”
“I’ve epted reality.” ra reached for the door handle. “Goodnight, Damien.”
As she walked to her car, ra felt the weight of the evening pressing down on her shoulders. Each step took her further from the family dream she’d cherished for seven years–the dream that Damien had never shared.
For the first time, she didn’t look back to see if he was watching her leave.