Mara POV
Lucien doesn't come home that night.
Or the next night.
I sleep in my designated bedroom, eat meals alone in the cavernous dining room, and wander the mansion. Mrs. Dahlia tells me he's staying at his downtown office. Working around the clock. Very focused on a merger.
I know the truth. He's avoiding me.
Good. I'm not apologizing for throwing that cup.
On the third day, Adrian calls.
"Mara?" His voice is careful, professional. "Do you have time to meet this evening? At the manor?"
"Is this about the coffee cup?" I'm sitting in the library, staring at books organized by color. "Because I'm not sorry."
"It's about establishing ground rules." I hear papers shuffling. "Lucien thinks it would be helpful to have a mediator. Someone neutral."
"You're his lawyer. You're not neut
