Chapter Seven

By morning, I had already decided I was going back to Davidson Industries. I just needed a reason. After everything that happened the night before, I couldn't sit at home and wait for my life to be decided for me. Paris was coming. So was the marriage to Julian.

I glanced at my phone. The screen was badly cracked. I deliberately dropped it three times on the bathroom tiles that morning until the glass shattered completely. It still worked, but the damage was obvious enough to justify getting a replacement. If I needed an excuse to return to the company, I had just created one. Perfect.

I slipped it into my handbag and headed downstairs. My father was already waiting in the sitting room when I entered. He looked up from the tablet in his hand.

“Good morning, Lucy.”

“Good morning, Father.”

I kissed his cheek before taking a seat. My father studied me for a moment. “You're up early.”

“I need a new phone.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”

I pulled the damaged phone from my bag and placed it in his hand. “It dropped on the floor this morning. The screen is barely responding.”

My father examined the crack. “You have to be more careful.”

“I know.”

He handed it back. “Come to the office with me. We can stop at a store afterward.”

I paused. “With you?”

“Yes. I have some work to finish first.”

I forced a smile. “Alright.”

That wasn't exactly what I'd planned. I had hoped to go alone. Still, going to the company was better than staying home.

A short while later, we arrived at Davidson Industries. The familiar glass building came into view as I stepped out of the car. My father walked beside me toward the private elevator.

“I have a few things to finish upstairs,” he said. “I'll meet you in the lobby when I'm done.”

I nodded. “Alright.”

The elevator doors opened. My father stepped inside. I remained in the lobby.

“Don't wander too far,” he told me before the doors closed.

“I won't.”

As soon as the elevator disappeared, I turned toward the sales floor. I didn't have to search for long. Brian was there. He stood behind one of the counters, helping a customer compare two products.

I slowed my steps. I took a breath and walked closer. The customer left with his purchase, and Brian turned to put something back on the display. Then he noticed me.

“Miss Davidson.”

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

His eyes moved briefly to the phone in my hand. “What happened to your screen?”

I lifted it. “It dropped on the floor.”

Brian examined the damage from where he stood. “That looks painful.”

I laughed softly. “It's a phone, Brian.”

“I meant expensive.”

I smiled. “It's not a problem. My father is replacing it.”

Brian nodded. “That makes sense.”

I leaned lightly against the counter. “If you were buying one, what would you choose?”

Brian thought for a moment. “Something reliable.”

“That's it?”

“What else do you need?”

I smiled. “Something beautiful.”

He looked at the damaged phone again. “Beauty doesn't help much when the screen breaks.”

I laughed. “You're very practical.”

“I try to be.”

I studied him. “And if practicality and what you want were two different things?”

Brian shrugged. “Then I'd probably choose practicality.”

“Why?”

“Because wanting something doesn't mean you need it.”

The answer caught me off guard. I looked away for a moment. “And if you really wanted it?”

Brian gave a small smile. “Then I'd think about it carefully before making a decision.”

I turned back to him. “Even if you might regret letting it go?”

He paused. “Sometimes regret is better than making a mistake you can't undo.”

The words stayed with me. “That's a very serious answer.”

He smiled. “You asked a serious question.”

Before I could respond, my father's voice came from behind me. “Lucy.”

I turned. My father was walking toward us. My heart jumped.

“I thought you were waiting in the lobby.”

“I was.”

His eyes moved to Brian, then back to me. “What are you discussing with him?”

I immediately lifted my phone. “I was only asking him what kind of phone I should buy next.”

My father frowned. “You don't have to do that.”

“I just wanted another opinion.”

“You're my daughter. If you want a new phone, you choose one you like. There's no reason to ask a sales boy.”

I pressed my lips together. “Yes, Father.”

My father turned toward Brian. “Get back to work.”

Brian nodded respectfully. “Yes, sir.”

I followed my father toward the entrance. I kept my expression calm. I didn't look back. But my father's words stayed with me. He could dismiss Brian with a few words simply because of his position. I couldn't.

Outside, my father unlocked the car. I got in quietly. The drive to the store was silent. I looked down at the cracked phone in my hand.

“Father?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think wanting something badly is enough reason to choose it?”

My father glanced at me briefly. “No.”

His answer came without hesitation. “Why?”

“Because life isn't always about what we want.”

I turned toward the window again. The city passed outside in a blur. I thought about Paris. Julian. My father's plans. Then I thought about Brian.

Sometimes regret is better than making a mistake you can't undo.

I didn't know whether he had meant anything beyond the question I'd asked. But I couldn't stop thinking about it.

When we reached the store, my father parked. “Come on.”

I followed him inside. I chose a new phone after comparing a few models. I barely cared about the color or features; I just wanted a replacement. My father took the phone from me and handed it to the cashier. “I'll take this one.”

The cashier processed the purchase while I stood beside him. A few minutes later, we left the store and returned to the car. I looked down at the new phone in my hand. The broken screen was gone. But the conversation with Brian was still fresh in my mind.

Sometimes regret is better than making a mistake you can't undo.

I didn't know whether he had meant anything beyond the question I'd asked. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. And one thing was becoming clear. I wasn't ready to walk away from him.