“I gave everything to that kitchen,” I continue. “To you. And when it became inconvenient, you let me fall.”
He exhales sharply. “I made a necessary call.”
“You made yourself blameless.”
“You’re rewriting history.”
“No,” I say. “I’m remembering it clearly.”
Frustration flickers behind his eyes. Then the charm clicks back into place, smooth and practiced.
“You don’t belong here,” he says, gesturing vaguely around us. “Cooking for a ranch? Here in this small,nothingtown? You’re wasting yourself.”
The words land hard.
I think of Sadie perched on the counter, asking if pancakes can have faces. Of Boone’s quiet steadiness. Of Silas admitting he’s scared. Of Caleb standing in a doorway, wanting clarity but not demanding it.
“Don’t,” I say.
“You’re brilliant,” Marcus presses. “You were meant for more than this. Come back. I can make things right. I’ll handle the press. The industry’s already forgotten the noise.”
I laugh, breathless. “You think that’s the problem?”
“What else would it be?”
“That you still think you get to decide what more looks like for me.”
His expression tightens. “You’re emotional right now.”
There it is.
The same word he used in the office. The same dismissal dressed up as concern.
“I’m done,” I say.
“Delaney—”
“I said I’m done.”
I turn toward the door, legs shaking now.
“Think about it!” he calls after me. “You’re throwing away everything you worked for!”
I stop, hand on the handle.
Images flash. My station stripped bare, my keycard dropped into Emily’s shaking hand, the kitchen door closing behind me like a sentence.
Slowly, I turn back.
“No,” I shoot back. “I’m keeping it.”
His face goes slack with surprise.
I don’t wait.
I push outside into the cold air, and it hits me like freedom and grief all at once. I walk. Then jog. Then I’m running down the sidewalk like the town might catch me if I stop.
My boots hit the pavement too hard, too fast. My breath comes in jagged pulls that don’t quite reach my lungs, panic still clawing at my ribs even though I’m away from him. My hands shake. My vision blurs at the edges.
