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    99 A Summons to Lunch, A Daughter’s Unease


    99 A Summons to Lunch, A Daughter’s Unease


    Damien nced at the tray, his expression unreadable. “Is that headed to suite 307?”


    Cora’s smile faltered. She nced nervously at Vivienne, then back at her father. “Does she have toe?”


    Cora nibbled her lower lip, a habit she’d inherited from ra. “I could stay with you if you want.”


    ra pushed her half–finished te away, her appetite gone. She’d grown ustomed to eating alone, working alone, sleeping alone. But the ease with which Cora had epted her absence–had preferred it–still cut deep.


    ra nced at her half–eaten meal, then back at her daughter’s ufortable expression. She understood immediately what was happening. This was Damien making a show of including her, likely for his mother’s benefit, with no real desire for


    herpany.


    “Yes, Daddy?” she asked, beaming up at him.


    “I enjoy being alone sometimes,” ra said gently. “It gives me time to think and work.”


    Her fork clinked against the china te as she speared a piece of grilled chicken. Below, she could hear the distant sounds ofughter as the group prepared to leave for the restaurant. Vivienne’s melodicugh rose above the others, followed by Cora’s


    delighted giggle.


    “That would be lovely,” ra replied, knowing the dessert would never materialize.


    “She’s operating under the delusion that sharing a table might somehow salvage their marriage,” Lucas added with a smirk.


    “Absolutely,” ra confirmed with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Go have


    fun.”


    For now, though, ra would finish her solitary lunch,plete her work, and prepare for whatever the rest of the weekend might bring. She was getting better at protecting herself from unnecessary pain. And declining Damien’s empty gesture of inclusion was just another step in that process.


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    Cora shifted from one foot to the other. “Dad asked me to tell you we’re all going down for lunch. He said you shoulde too.”


    “Go on,” Damien urged, giving her a gentle push toward the stairs.


    Damien nodded in agreement, then caught sight of his daughter emerging from the game room. “Coco,e here.”


    Cora skipped over to her father, her dark curls bouncing. She was wearing the new dress Vivienne had bought her, a pink sundress with tiny butterflies embroidered along the hem.


    Cora trudged up the staircase, her earlier enthusiasm dampened. Behind her, she heard Lucas muttering something that made Vivienneugh. She walked slowly, dragging her feet along the plush carpet, hoping her mother might refuse the


    invitation.


    Beck cleared his throat. “We should head down. The reservation is for noon.”


    With a quick wave, Cora darted out the door, her footsteps quickening as she raced back downstairs. ra listened to the fading sound, imagining her daughter’s excited report that Mom wouldn’t be joining them after all.


    She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. This was temporary. The divorce would finalize, boundaries would rify, and she would build a new rtionship with her daughter. One where Cora didn’t feel torn between loyalties.


    The staff member assigned to the third floor carefully bnced the tray of food as he made his way down the corridor. He’d been instructed to deliver lunch to Mrs. ra Thorne’s suite, and he was determined not to spill a single drop of the soup he carried.


    “Cora,” Damien’s voice carried a warning note.


    “My apologies, sir,” the young man replied, clutching the tray tighter.


    ra took a sip of water, her throat suddenly tight. She’d made the right choice by declining. Why subject herself to another meal where she’d be the outsider, watching her daughter blossom under Vivienne’s attention while Damien looked on approvingly?


    Damien’s jaw tightened. “My mother asked me to look after her this weekend.”


    “Careful there,” Lucas said, stepping aside to let the staff member pass.


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    99 A Summons to Lunch, A Daughter’s Unease


    Vivienne’s shoulders rxed visibly at this exnation. “Eleanor is quite persistent about family meals, isn’t she?”


    “That’s thoughtful of him,” ra replied carefully. “But as you can see, I’ve already started my lunch. Please thank him for the invitation, but I’ll stay here.”


    Damien ced his hand on her shoulder. “Go upstairs and invite your mother to join us for lunch.”


    She opened herptop again, determined to focus on something productive rather than dwelling on the family dynamic that excluded her. The project with Julian offered a wee distraction, a world where her intelligence and contributions were valued.


    Lucas chuckled. “Well, I guess we won’t need to invite her to lunch with us then.”


    To everyone’s surprise, Damien shook his head. “We should still invite her. It’s only polite.”


    As he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with a small group heading toward the main staircase. He immediately recognized Damien Thorne, the hotel owner’s grandson, alongside the stunning Vivienne Dubois. Behind them walked Lucas Sterling and Beck, engaged in quiet conversation.


    When she reached suite 307, she hesitated before knocking softly.


    “That’s sweet of you,” ra said, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind Cora’s ear. “But you should go enjoy lunch with your father. I’m perfectly fine here with my work.”


    “It’s okay,” Vivienne interjected smoothly, crouching to Cora’s level. “Your grandmother would want your mom to join us. Family is important, right?”


    Relief shed across Cora’s face before guilt quickly reced it. “Are you sure? You’ll


    be all alone.”


    Cora grinned, relief evident in her posture. “Okay! Dad got Beck to bring those


    desserts you


    like from that shop in the city. I’ll ask him to save you one.”


    As the sounds of departure fadedpletely, ra allowed herself a moment of honest reflection. The quiet of the room pressed in around her, emphasizing her solitude. It wasn’t just lunch she was missing–it was her daughter’s childhood, her affection, her everyday moments that were now shared primarily with Vivienne.


    “Since when do you care about politeness with ra?” Lucas asked once the staff


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    99 A Summons to Lunch. A Daughter’s Unease


    member was out of earshot.


    Cora pushed the door open to find her mother sitting at the desk, her lunch tray beside herptop. ra looked up with surprise, her expression softening at the sight of <b>her </b>daughter.


    “Yes, Mr. Thorne. For Mrs. Thorne.”


    “Come in,” ra called from inside.


    “Hi, sweetie,” she said, closing herptop. “Is everything okay?”


    ra’s heart ached at her daughter’s conflicted expression. Cora clearly didn’t want her to join them–likely worried about upsetting Vivienne–yet felt obligated to show


    concern.


    Corà nodded reluctantly, though her eyes showed her confusion. She’d grown ustomed to lunches with just her father and Vivienne. Having her mother join them felt strange, like mixing two separate worlds.


    ra watched Cora’s retreating figure before she closed the door and continued having lunch alone. The room fell silent except for the gentle hum of the air conditioner. She returned to her seat, pushing aside the sting of her daughter’s transparent relief at her refusal.


    The offer was halfhearted; ra could see her daughter’s eyes darting toward the door, eager to return downstairs where Vivienne awaited. For a moment, ra considered epting, selfishly wanting to spend time with her increasingly distant child. But forcing Cora to stay would only breed resentment.


    The staff member continued on his way, but not before noticing the startled expressions on the faces of Damien’spanions. Vivienne in particr seemed taken aback, her perfectly manicured hand freezing mid–gesture.


    “You sure?” Cora asked, already backing toward the door.


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