consequence of desire

chapter 11: the dreamer

Daniel was pacing their apartment when Eliana stepped inside, her hair damp from the rain. He swooped toward her immediately, grinning like the storm outside didn’t exist.

“There you are,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “I was starting to think the thunder had swallowed you whole.”

Eliana laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Franklyn gave me a ride. I didn’t want to wait at your office all night.”

Daniel kissed her forehead, oblivious to the way her body stiffened just slightly in his embrace. “That’s Franklyn for you. Reliable. If I’m the dreamer, he’s the anchor. Always has been.”

He pulled back, eyes bright, his energy buzzing the way it always did when he had an idea. “Speaking of dreams — I’ve been thinking. Honeymoon in Santorini. Or maybe Kyoto. What do you think?”

Eliana blinked, caught off guard. “We haven’t even set a date.”

“So? Doesn’t hurt to plan ahead.” He guided her to the couch, words tumbling over one another in his excitement. “Imagine it — white rooftops, blue seas. Or cherry blossoms in spring. Just the two of us, far away from everything else. No family, no business, no responsibilities. Just you and me.”

His enthusiasm was infectious, and Eliana smiled despite herself. Yet underneath, a knot twisted in her stomach. Daniel was painting pictures of a future she hadn’t even had time to picture clearly for herself.

“And the house,” Daniel added suddenly. “I talked to Mother about it. She thinks we should buy in the countryside, something big enough for a family. She even mentioned a garden for you. Can’t you see it? You sketching while the kids run around.”

Eliana froze, her smile faltering. “Kids?”

“Of course.” Daniel laughed, running a hand through his hair. “Not now, obviously. But someday. Isn’t that what you want?”

She hesitated. For a moment, her mind flickered back to the library — to Franklyn standing in the doorway, his eyes on her sketch of a home that felt safe and alive. She remembered how seriously he’d looked at it, how carefully he’d said it suits you.

“Eliana?” Daniel prompted, his grin softening into curiosity.

She forced her smile back into place. “Yes. Someday.”

Daniel beamed, satisfied, and pulled her into another kiss. His arms wrapped tightly around her as if nothing in the world could threaten what they were building.

And Eliana let him hold her — even as her thoughts drifted back to the storm, to the silence in Franklyn’s car, and to the question she had asked that he never truly answered.