The tension between them had been growing for days. During another stiff dinner, Evelyn finally voiced the thought that had been weighing on her.
“I want to get a job,” she said quietly. “Part-time at a gallery or studio. Something small. I need purpose, Damien.”
He set his knife down with deliberate calm. His sharp gray eyes fixed on her. “No.”
Evelyn’s chest tightened. “Why not? You provide everything material, but I’m going crazy here doing nothing. Painting isn’t enough.”
“You have everything you need,” he replied coldly. “A job would create unnecessary risks and complications. The answer is final. Do not defy me on this, Evelyn.”
The rejection during dinner lingered like a bruise.
Damien’s cold “No” and his immediate dismissal had stung more than Evelyn expected. She didn’t argu
