Chapter 229 Chapter 229

Chapter 229 Chapter 229
Violet

She beamed, clearly pleased. "Wonderful. I'll be at my desk if you need anything. Mr. Lockwood also said to specifically remind you that you're free to work from home if you'd prefer. No pressure to be here if you're not feeling up to it."

She left, closing the door softly behind her.

I stood in the middle of my replicated office, surrounded by evidence of Elijah's care, and didn't know what to feel.

He'd spent what had to be an enormous amount of money, coordinated a massive construction project, moved my entire workspace, all within hours of my breakdown because I'd been scared. 

He couldn't fix what had happened but he could damn well make sure it never happened again.

I sank into my desk chair, my hands shaking slightly as I took in the details. My chest felt tight, emotions I couldn't name swirling in a confusing mass.

He'd hurt and manipulated me.

But he'd also done this. 

How was I supposed to reconcile these two versions of him? The manipulator and the protector? The man who'd used me as a pawn and the man who'd work through the night to make sure I felt safe?

I picked up my phone, my fingers hovering over his contact information.

I should thank him and acknowledge the enormous effort he'd gone to.

But I didn't know what to say. I had no idea how to express gratitude without it sounding like forgiveness, without it implying that grand gestures could erase past hurts.

In the end, I set the phone down without calling and opened my laptop instead. 

I pulled up my design software, picked up my digital pen and started to sketch.

And my hand obeyed me. 

I worked through the afternoon, forgetting everything else.

By the time I finally looked up, day had turned to night.

I saved my work, closed my laptop, and gathered my things. Anya had left for the day already, her desk empty when I passed it on my way out.

The lobby had transformed since this morning. The construction debris was gone, and standing in place of the old elevator banks were gleaming new structures.

He had really made it happen. Floor to ceiling transparent glass elevators stood in front of me, each one offering a complete view of the surrounding lobby. 

I stood and stared at them, marveling at the sheer scale of what had been accomplished in less than twelve hours.

One of the glass elevators opened, the door sliding smoothly aside. A few employees stepped out, chatting casually about the new installations.

I waited until they'd passed, then stepped inside.

The space felt completely different from yesterday's metal cage. I could see out in all directions and felt a lot better instantly.

My gaze flicked to the upper floors to where his cabin was located and I could see that the lights were still on.

My fingers hovered over the lift button, the one leading to his floor and after a moment, I pushed the one for the parking lot instead, drove home and lulled myself to sleep somehow.

Yet the guilt returned the moment I woke up and gnawed at me all morning.

I tried to work as the morning crawled by with agonizing slowness. I kept checking the clock, watching the minutes tick toward noon, building up courage for what I knew I needed to do.

I needed to have a word with him.

When lunch time finally arrived, I headed straight for his cabin.

I stepped inside and pressed the button for the executive floor, my heart rate picking up despite the complete visibility in all directions. I could see the lobby around me, could see people passing by, could see everything staying normal and mundane and free of supernatural horror.

The transparent glass elevator rose and I was at the designated floor in an instant. 

Elijah's office was at the far end. His assistant's desk sat empty, suggesting she was at lunch as well. Perfect timing. 

I reached his door and knocked, the sound seeming too loud in the quiet hallway and waited but there was no answer.

I knocked again, a bit harder this time but still got nothing.

Maybe he was at lunch too or…bleeding again?

That thought made me reach for the door handle and I realized it wasn’t locked.

I took a peek inside and noticed that the office was empty. 

I should have left but my eyes caught on something sitting on his desk. It was the exact replica of the girl dressed in violet and holding violet flowers except for one change.

A man was beside her and had his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, his face bent toward hers.

The woman looked like me and the man looked exactly like Elijah.

I stared at it, my chest tightening with emotions I didn't want to name. 

And just like that memories came flooding back to me. All the times he had kissed me, when I had been wrapped in his arms, the stolen kisses...

The memories made my skin flush, made my breath catch slightly. For just a moment, I let myself remember how it had felt to be held like that. 

Then reality crashed back in and I tore my gaze away from the figurine and it landed on his computer.

The screen was on and his mailbox was open.

My eyes caught on one folder name in particular.

Active Tenders & Proposals.

Dane's voice echoed in my mind.

My heart started racing. This was wrong. 

But part of me whispered that Elijah deserved it. 

I glanced at the door and the hallway which was too quiet.

My hand reached for the mouse before I could stop myself and clicked on the folder. 

My hands were shaking now, trembling badly enough that I had to grip the mouse harder to keep it steady. I scrolled through quickly, keeping one eye on the door, my heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.

Two projects stood out immediately. They were major contracts with enormous budgets, the kind that could make or break a quarterly report. One had a forty million dollar budget, the other sixty.

I read through the details quickly, my eyes scanning numbers and specifications while my conscience screamed at me to stop. I was still reading when the sound of a knock on the door made me jump so violently I nearly knocked over the figurine.

My hand flew away from the mouse like it had burned me. I spun around, my heart in my throat, trying to school my expression into something neutral and hastily stepped away from the desk.

An employee I recognized from my first team meeting stood in the doorway. He'd been one of the few who hadn't applauded my introduction, 

Now his eyes moved from the empty desk chair to the open computer screen to me standing alone in the boss's office.