ANMELDENDinner that night was quiet.Not the uncomfortable kind, but the kind that one could tell something was off. That even the sound of the cutleries barely made a sound as it met the silverware.Well, except for Ari, who has somehow figured she could make little sounds while she drank water. So she carried the cup more times than necessary, just to show she could do it.But none of them really paid attention to it.Ronan just sat back in his chair, his attention fixed on Solene.She was picking at her food, taking small bites and chewing slowly like she wasn’t aware of what she was eating.She hadn’t complained about work, or how tired she was, or even said anything longer than a few words.Which was quite unusual for her.And the longer it lasted, the more his gaze seemed to burn into her skin, but she didn’t seem to mind.“Alright,” he exhaled, leaning into his seat. Both Solene and Ari paused, turning to him.But Ronan kept his eyes on Solene. “You’re quiet,” he said.Solene looked
Solene sat behind her desk, her elbows resting on the polished surface, her fingers locked beneath her jaw as she stared at the screen in front of her.The room was silent—still, like something serious was waiting to happen. But Solene’s face remained neutral, unshaken. Which was ironic compared to the chaos running through her mind as she stared at the email on the screen.Mae stood across from her, a more worried expression on her face as she gently set the iPad in her hand on the desk. “They were one of those who reached out, ma’am,” Mae finally said, breaking the silence.Normally, those words would have thrilled Solene to the bones.Actually, she’d been thrilled when she first saw their mail in her inbox. But with what she was looking at, that excitement was slowly dimming.It felt heavy.“They want a meeting. Initial discussion, nothing binding yet, but—”“I know how it works,” Solene cut in, her voice steady, her eyes still on the screen.Then she paused.“What’s the name?”M
The tension in the boardroom sat heavy—thick enough to notice, uncomfortable enough to avoid.The men around the table conversed in low tones amongst themselves, like they were avoiding speaking directly with Ronan, who sat at the head of the table.Little did they know their time was running out, and the only reason Ronan had stood up and walked out of there was because he’d warned them to only call for a meeting when it was very urgent.His eyes dropped to his wristwatch once more.The man closest to him caught it instantly. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent instantly.Ronan leaned back slightly, exhaling. “You called this meeting.” “Yes, sir.” The man replied, adjusting his glasses.“What about?” There was a pause.“About the situation with your wife that has been…settled.” He said carefully. “We had a discussion amongst ourselves.” Ronan’s expression didn’t change. Neither did he meet anyone’s gaze.The man exchanged a look with the man beside him like he was reth
“She doesn’t stay with me in the afternoon.” The words echoed in Solene’s ears, and for a second, she tried to twist them into something else—anything softer than what they actually meant.She tilted her head slightly, her grip tightening around Katie’s small hand.“Sweetheart, what do you mean?” She asked.Katie just lowered herself onto a step. “Mummy’s always working. And when she comes back, she’s too tired to play with me.” Solene’s breath slowed.“I don’t like when she’s tired.” Katie continued. “She always looks sad…then I’m sad.”Something shifted in Solene’s chest as the girl’s words finally sank in.She stared into the girl's sad blue eyes, something warm and familiar filling the space, and somehow he realized Katie wasn’t complaining, she just hated watching her mother trying to work herself to death.Instead, Solene offered a small smile,her hand brushing Katie’s cheek. “Have you had something to eat?”“Mom left cheesecake for me.” She replied. “But she said she’d make m
“Solène.”Both women turned, their eyes settling on Lewis standing a few feet away—close enough to hear what the women had been discussing.He just stood there, one hand in his pocket, with a slight frown on his face. And with the way he looked back at Solene, one could tell he’d been there longer than either of them thought. Mrs Hartwell was the first to snap out of it. She turned to Solène once more, her smile returning like nothing had happened, and reached for her hand.“Expecting your response.” “Oh yes,” Solene said lightly. “I’ll keep in touch.”The smile lingered until the woman was out of sight, then it dropped.She turned to Lewis, who had moved closer now, standing in front of her. And for a moment, she just stared at him, the afternoon sun hitting details on his face she hadn’t noticed inside—the faint lines under his eyes, and how dull his eyes looked in general, like he hadn’t slept well in days.Or even slept at all.“Are you okay?” Solene asked before she could stop
Solene glanced at the time for what felt like the fiftieth time since she walked into the room. She tried to focus on something else—anything other than the low murmuring from the people around the table or the occasional way eyes landed on her before quickly shifting away again.No one needed to tell her that her name fell off their lips during their “conversations.” Probably because part of why the meeting was called was partly because of her.And frankly, that was why she’d accepted the invitation—to listen to the praises. The approval. Something to steady whatever had been off in her for the past few days.Otherwise, she wasn’t even sure why she was a part of the association.Either way, the meeting was scheduled to begin thirty minutes ago. But somehow, the chairman’s seat and the one opposite hers had been empty since Solene arrived.And she was this close to leaving.She shifted slightly, her eyes moving towards the entrance like she was quietly calculating how long she’d giv
The car drove smoothly along the almost empty road, giving the night the quiet satisfaction it deserved.Ronan sat in the backseat, his eyes fixed to an iPad in his hands as he scrolled leisurely.“And the reservation for tonight?” He asked.“Yes, sir, the—”A scratching sound cut through the line.
Solene sipped her coffee with one hand, her bag clutched in the other as she stepped into the elevator.Her phone vibrated in her bag, and she passed her coffee to Mae, reaching into the bag for it.It was a notification from Hannah.A smile tugged at her lips as she clicked on the message.It had
“If you need anything—anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.” Her mom said at the door.Solene nodded, her smile as bright as ever. “I will.”Then Vanessa shifted her gaze to Ronan, who stood a little behind, looking worn out. “Ronan dear, please take care of my daughter.”Ronan pulled Solene’
“Why didn’t you tell me all of this, and I had to hear it from Hannah?”Solene nearly rolled her eyes. “That’s because I wasn’t bothered about it. Why would I want to burden you with something that’s in my past, Mom?”“And when that past surfaces, is it still the past?” the woman asked on the other







