91 Permission in the Quiet Night
<b>ra’s </b>POV
“You and Damien work too hard,” she said with a hint of disapproval. “No wonder two barely see each other these days.”
A muscle twitched in Damien’s jaw. “Alistair can be… difficult.”
“Eleanor doesn’t know about the divorce, does she?” I asked.
“You noticed.”
you
“That’s deliberate,” Julian continued. “It’s a power move. They’re trying to make us feel insignificant.”
I slid in, cing myptop bag at my feet. The car smelled like him – expensive cologne with undertones of leather and sandalwood. No trace of Vivienne’s perfume remained.
I tore my gaze away from their table. “I’m sorry. I’m not being goodpany.”
The small gesture surprised me. In the morning, I’d been relegated to the back, like a business associate being chauffeured. Now he was offering me Vivienne’s usual ce.
I gathered my things quickly, hoping to escape before he arrived, but as I stepped out of the elevator into the lobby, I saw his Bentley already parked at the curb.
The afternoon passed in a blur of coding and strategy meetings. By seven in the evening, the office had emptied except for me and the cleaning staff. I was deep in concentration when my phone rang. Eleanor Thorne’s name shed on the screen.
“We’re both busy people,” I said carefully.
“And my mother can be cruel,” I added quietly. “They make quite a team.”
I turned to look at him. “You did?”
“Just finishing up some work.” I rubbed my tired eyes.
“We should go in,” he said, breaking the moment. “It’s gettingte.”
I sighed. “It’s working.”
12:18
91 Permission in the Quiet Night
“You may,” he said finally, his voice quiet.
“Grandmother insisted.” He opened the passenger door. “Front seat this time.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That means more to me than you know.”
It was true. They had positioned themselves to face away from our table, as if we didn’t
exist.
I bit my lip. Eleanor still didn’t know about our impending divorce. Neither Damien nor I had found the courage to break her heart.
<b>“</b>What about it?”
“We need to tell her soon, Damien. Before the papers are finalized.”
“I spoke with Alistair Dubois,” Damien said suddenly.
“You don’t need to exin your finances to me.”
As Damien parked in the circr driveway, I gathered my courage. “Can I ask you something?”
We fell silent again as he turned onto the tree–lined street leading to the Thorne estate. The massive house loomed ahead, windows glowing warmly in the darkness. It had never felt like my home, despite the years I’d lived there.
Damien studied me silently, his expression inscrutable in the dim light. I waited, bracing myself for refusal. The vi was valuable coastal property, and my asking for it was bold.
He turned off the engine and looked at me, waiting.
“Only if you let it.” Julian’s voice was firm. “Remember who you are, ra. You’re not just Damien Thorne’s soon–to–be ex–wife. You’re a brilliant mind who’s rebuilding one of the most innovative AIpanies in the country.”
“You didn’t need toe,” I said, approaching reluctantly. “I could have called a car.”
“Hard to miss the cold shoulder from her entire table.”
Damien didn’t respond, but I noticed his grip tighten on the steering wheel.
12:18
91 <b>Permission </b><b>in </b>the Quiet Night
The lunch <b>at </b>Blue Water crawled by painfully. From our table across the restaurant, I could see Vivienneughing, her hand casually resting on Damien’s arm. Alistair and <b>my </b>mother nked them like proud sentinels guarding royalty.
“The YodaVision partnership. He was blocking it because of a personal grudge against Julian Croft.” Damien’s eyes remained on the road. “It’s been resolved.”
Relief washed over me so intensely that I almost reached for his hand. I caught myself just in time.
“Eleanor, that’s not necessary—”
“Let’s get back to the office,” I said. “We have the Henderson proposal to finish.”
The waiter arrived with our check. As Julian reached for it, I caught Damien looking in our direction, his expression unreadable. Our eyes met for a brief moment before he turned back to Vivienne.
“How was your afternoon?” he asked as he pulled away from the curb.
“Don’t apologize.” Julian leaned forward. “But I do want to point something out. Notice how Vivienne and Alistair haven’t acknowledged us once? Not even a nce in our direction.”
“Eleanor, hello,” I answered, leaning back in my chair.
Damien stood beside it, phone in hand, looking as immacte as he had at lunch. He nced up as I pushed through the revolving door.
As we walked toward the house, I felt lighter than I had in months. The vi would be mine – a sanctuary away from the Thornes, away from Vivienne, away from the constant reminders of everything I’d failed to be.
“Not yet.”
“I imagine not.” I gazed out the window again. “She made that clear at lunch.”
Surprise flickered across his face. “Buy it?”
Julian finished his salmon and set down his fork. “They’re putting on quite a show, aren’t they?”
“ra, dear,” her warm voice came through. “Are you still at the office? It’s gettingte”
91 <b>Permission </b>in the Quiet Night
Yes. I’d pay market value, of course. My share from YodaVision is growing, and-”
Silence fell between us. I watched the city lights blur by, wondering how we had be such strangers after seven years of marriage.
He nodded. “I will. After her birthday next month.”
For the first time since I’d decided to divorce Damien, I could see my future taking shape- not as Mrs. Thorne, but as ra Vance, standing on her own.
“L… what?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard correctly.
“The same.”
“It’s absolutely necessary. You’re still family, ra.” Her tone softened. “I worry about both of you.
“You want to keep it after we separate,” he said finally, his voice neutral.
After we hung up, I dropped my head in my hands. Thest thing I needed was another awkward car ride with Damien.
I took a deep breath. “I’d like to buy it from you.”
“The vi by the coast,” I began, my heart beating faster. “The one where we stayedst summer. I’ve been thinking about it a lottely.”
“You may buy the vi.” Damien’s eyes met mine, dark and unreadable. “I’ll have thewyers arrange it separately from the divorce settlement.”
For a moment, something shifted in Damien’s expression – a softening around the edges, a flicker of the man I’d once thought he could be. But it disappeared so quickly I wondered if I’d imagined it.
Damien nodded once, his profile illuminated by passing streetlights. “Vivienne wasn’t pleased.”
“Thank you,” I said, genuinely surprised. “I appreciate that.”
I fell silent, waiting. The seconds stretched painfully.
“Productive.” I kept my answer brief. “Yours?”
“Well, not tonight,” Eleanor dered. “I called Damien and asked him to pick you up.
<b>Of </b><b>Permission </b>in <b>the </b>Quiet <b>Night </b>
<b>No </b><b>arguments </b><b>from </b><b>either </b><b>of </b><b>you</b>. He should be there shortly.”
<b>Yes</b><b>. </b>For myself. After the divorce. My voice grew stronger. “I know it’s <b>part </b><b>of </b><b>the </b>
<b>Thorne </b>properties<b>, </b>but it’s the one ce that felt like it could be mine. Somewhere ! <b>could </b><b>start </b>fresh<b>” </b>
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