Dominic never took his eyes off me. “Everyone clear the room,” he commanded.
No one moved initially. Then, the collective rustle of paper began. Chairs scraped back against the carpet, folders were snapped shut, and tablets were slid into leather cases. One by one, the executive vice presidents and litigators exited the room, their faces stiff with the distinct discomfort of people who had just encountered a human reality that corporate capital could not resolve.
When the last assistant stepped through the threshold, the heavy door clicked firmly shut.
For the first time in nearly a year, I was alone with my husband. Except we weren’t truly alone. Lily stirred slightly against my chest, letting out a tiny, soft breath.
Dominic’s gaze instantly drifted back down to her. “May I… please see her?” he asked.
The typical commanding authority was entirely gone from his voice. There was only shock left. And a cadence that sounded dangerously close to remorse.
