She pulled back slightly, looking up into Julian’s fierce, protective eyes. She reached up, wiping the single tear away before it could fall.
"No," Sarah said, her voice trembling but gaining strength. "I'm not running away. I worked for three years to earn my seat at this gala. I'm not letting them chase me out of the room."
A slow, profoundly proud smile spread across Julian’s face. He offered her his arm, his eyes shining with absolute admiration.
"Then let's go get a drink, Ms. Bennett," he said. "The night is still young."
Chapter Five
Julian
The black town car glided through the quiet morning streets, but Julian couldn't relax against the plush leather seats. His jaw was tight.
He hadn't slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the absolute devastation drain the color from Sarah’s face in the middle of that ballroom.
She had stayed. That was the thing that amazed him the most. She had lifted her chin, forced a smile, and spent the next two hours shaking hands and talking about load-bearing walls while her entire world was actively burning down around her. She was the strongest woman he had ever met.
But Julian had felt the cost of that strength. He had felt the micro-tremors vibrating through her spine every time his hand rested on the small of her back. At her door, she had simply asked him to hold her for a minute, burying her face in his chest before whispering a soft, exhausted thank you and slipping inside alone.
He hated that she was alone with those thoughts. He hated Ryan Sinclair. And he wanted to tear Harrison Miller apart with his bare hands.
The car pulled up to Sarah's curb. Julian sent a quick text: I'm outside.
Five minutes later, the front door opened. Sarah stepped out, pulling a thick, cream-colored cardigan tighter around her shoulders against the crisp autumn air. She was wearing comfortable, faded jeans and no makeup. To Julian, she had never looked more beautiful.
He got out of the car, opening the heavy rear door for her.
"Hi," she said softly, offering a small, fragile smile as she approached. "You didn't have to come all the way over here. I know you're busy."
"This is exactly where I want to be." Julian said firmly. He reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "How did you sleep?"
"I didn't, really," she admitted, stepping into the spacious backseat. "My brain hasn't stopped spinning. I kept writing and rewriting my resignation letter in my head."
Julian slid in next to her and closed the door. "Then it's a good thing I'm kidnapping you for the day."
Sarah paused, looking at him in surprise as the driver pulled away from the curb. "Kidnapping me? To where?"
"Somewhere the cell reception is terrible, but the architecture is incredible," he promised.
***
Julian had instructed his driver to take them to the city’s historic Botanical Glasshouse. He had made a few calls that morning to secure a private walkthrough before it opened to the public. As they walked through the humid domes, the chaotic noise of the city completely vanished, replaced by the soft drip of condensation and the earthy smell of wet soil.
They didn't talk about Harrison. They didn't talk about Ryan or Emily.
Julian pointed upward to the intricate lattice of green-painted iron arching high above them. "It’s incredible theymanaged this without modern load-bearing calculations. The sheer weight of those glass panels alone, especially when it snows... whoever engineered this was taking a massive risk."
Sarah tilted her head back, her eyes tracking the sweeping curves of the ceiling. "It’s not just the engineering, Julian. It’s the audacity of it. The Victorians built a crystal palace just to keep a few fragile orchids warm in the middle of winter. It's beautiful."
"You appreciate the aesthetics," he teased, bumping his shoulder gently against hers. "I appreciate the fact that it hasn't collapsed on us."
Sarah let out a soft, genuine laugh, the sound echoing lightly in the quiet dome. She walked over to a vibrant cluster of purple orchids, her shoulders finally dropping from the defensive posture she had held since last night. "I appreciate the quiet," she murmured, tracing a petal. "It feels like we're in a different world in here."
Julian watched the tension slowly melt out of her. By the time they stepped back out into the brisk city air, a light, misty rain had begun to fall, and the heavy shadow over her eyes had lifted.
***
They climbed back into the warm, dimly lit backseat of the town car. As the driver merged onto the highway to take them home, the rain picked up, pattering rhythmically against the tinted windows.
