Chapter 16 - THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM
A year passed.
Then another.
Victoria disappeared from society pages.
Senator Vance lost his reelection bid after multiple ethics investigations damaged his reputation.
Sterling Manor became quieter.
Warmer.
Leo turned four.
Then five.
Elena remained estate director.
And somewhere along the way, Mark realized he looked forward to conversations with her after Leo went to bed.
Not about schedules.
Not about staff.
About books.
Food.
Childhood.
Fear.
Elena had grown up in New Mexico in a family where money was always tight but laughter wasn't.
Mark had grown up poor too.
He rarely talked about it.
"My father cleaned office buildings," he told her one evening.
Elena smiled.
"So that's why you inspect every floor personally."
"No."
"You're obsessive."
"That's possible."
She laughed.
Mark watched her.
Then looked away.
He understood what he was feeling.
That frightened him.
Not because Elena worked for him.
That alone was complicated enough.
But because the last woman he'd trusted nearly harmed his son.
Love had become associated with blindness.
So Mark did nothing.
Months passed.
Elena noticed.
One evening she finally said:
"You don't have to be afraid of every good thing because one bad thing fooled you."
Mark stared.
"Am I that obvious?"
"Painfully."
He smiled.
Then became serious.
"I don't ever want you wondering whether your job depends on how you feel about me."
Elena's expression softened.
"So don't make it depend on that."
She stood.
"I'm capable of making my own choices, Mark."
For years, Mark's wealth had given him control.
With Elena, control was exactly what he had to surrender.
And strangely—
May you like
that made him trust her more.
---
