Sarah's POV
Eleanor remained standing, pacing around the sitting room. "That project… You will not do it. Not under any circumstances. I won't have the Moretti name dragged into some flashy city venture with that... that outsider."
Her shout echoed off the high ceiling. I looked up at her, my hands clutching the edge of the sofa to steady myself. "Why?" I asked, my voice steady despite the hoarseness. "Why can't I do it, Mother? It's a professional opportunity. Victor Harrington wants my designs for his luxury penthouses, interior concepts that blend emotion with functionality. Why are you so determined to bury it?"
Adrian sat beside me on the sofa, close enough that his knee brushed mine, but not touching further. His face was etched with exhaustion. He raised a hand placatingly, his
