He stepped closer and brushed his thumb along my jaw.
“You don’t owe them an apology,” he said.
“I know.”
“You don’t owe them your life.”
“I know.”
His eyes softened slightly. “Then go remind them.”
The boardroom at our downtown office felt smaller than it ever had before.
I’d sat at the head of this table dozens of times, guiding strategy sessions, calming donor nerves, outlining five-year plans. Today, every seat was filled and every gaze sharpened the moment I walked in.
Eleanor sat at the far end, posture rigid, tablet in front of her like a shield. Thomas Price was already there, though he rarely attended emergency meetings in person. His expression was cool, controlled.
Abigail hovered near the wall with a notepad, looking like she wished she were anywhere else.
I closed the door behind me.
“Thank you for coming on short notice,” Eleanor began, voice clipped.
“I assume this is about last night,” I said.
Thomas leaned forward slightly. “You put the organization in an impossible position.”
“Did I?” I asked evenly.
Eleanor sighed. “Lia, your speech—while passionate—directly contradicts our mission.”
“No,” I said. “It contradicts your donors’ comfort.”
A murmur ran along the table.
Thomas’s jaw tightened. “You admitted publicly to a relationship with a man whose business interests involve hunting. How do you expect us to reconcile that with our anti-violence platform?”
“I don’t,” I said.
Silence.
Eleanor blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t expect you to reconcile it,” I continued. “Because my personal life isn’t a policy statement.”
Thomas’s voice hardened. “You are the face of this organization.”
“I am,” I agreed. “And I have spent years advocating for women to have autonomy over their lives. Last night, I exercised mine.”
“That’s a convenient reframing,” he snapped.
I met his gaze. “Is it? Or is it inconvenient for you?”
Eleanor rubbed her temple. “Thomas has informed us that he will be withdrawing his pledge unless you issue a statement clarifying that your relationship does not reflect on the organization.”
“There it is,” I said quietly.
Thomas didn’t flinch. “We can’t afford controversy.”
