I didn’t sleep.
How could I? My mind kept replaying the conversation with Vivian, the way Adrian’s face had shuttered when I told him, the cold dismissal in his voice when he told me to leave. Over and over until I wanted to scream.
By the time dawn broke over the mountains, I’d made a decision.
I wasn’t leaving without a fight.
I found him in his office at six in the morning, already dressed, already working like he hadn’t slept either. He looked up when I walked in without knocking, and something flickered across his face before the ice settled back in.
“You should be packing,” he said.
“We need to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. I’m having someone bring a truck around at eight. They’ll drive you to your cabin.”
“Adrian, please. Just listen to me.”
“No.” He stood up, move
