Clara's POV
I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Darius's cold stare, his tired face, and the way he'd dismissed me like I was nothing more than a convenient accessory for his meeting.
By dawn, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to fix this. I had to try.
I found him in his office, hunched over a stack of papers. Documents were spread across his massive desk, and his laptop screen glowed with what looked like security reports. He didn't look up when I knocked on the doorframe.
"Darius."
His hand paused over the paper he was reading, but he didn't lift his head. The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
"Can we talk?"
"I'm busy." His voice was flat, emotionless. Like he was speaking to a stranger.
I stepped into the office anyway, closing the door behind
