Chapter 54
Audrey’s POV:
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what I knew would be a difficult conversation
I knelt beside his chair, bringing myself to his eye level. ‘Next month, I won’t be working at Luminous Gallery anymore.”
His hand froze mid–motion, paintbrush suspended over the palette. “You’re… leaving?‘ His voice became so small it nearly broke my heart.
‘I’ll still see you, I rushed to explain, placing my hand gently on his arm. “I just won’t be your teacher at the gallery anymore.”
“But why?” Noah’s eyes widened, a look of betrayal crossing his features.
‘Did I do something wrong? I’ll be better, I promise!”
“Oh, Noah, no!” I pulled him into a hug, careful not to get paint on either of us. “You’ve been absolutely perfect. This has nothing to do with you.”
He pulled away, his little face scrunched in confusion. “If I’m perfect, then why are you leaving me?”
The raw hurt in his voice made my chest ache.
“I’m not leaving you,” I explained, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m just not going to work at the gallery anymore. But I’ll still come to see you often, I
promise.”
Noah suddenly turned away from me, his shoulders rigid with anger. I reached out to touch his shoulder, but he shrugged away from my hand.
The rejection stung, but I understood his feelings all too well.
“Is it because you received a better job offer, Miss Lane?”
The deep voice from behind me made me jump.
I turned to see Caspar Thornton standing by the doorway, his expression unreadable. How long had he been there?
I straightened up, trying to maintain my composure. “No, Mr. Thornton. It’s not about money or a better position,”
Caspar stepped fully into the room, his imposing presence filling the space.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a checkbook, his movements deliberate and confident.
‘Name your price,” he said calmly, uncapping an expensive–looking pen. “Whatever they’re offering, I’ll double it.”
I stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Of course, his first instinct would be to solve the problem with money. In his world, everything had a price tag. The casual way he brandished his checkbook -as if my dedication to Noah could be bought–both offended and amused me.
*Mr. Thornton,” I said carefully, glancing meaningfully at Noah who was pretending not to listen but whose ears were clearly perked up.
1/3
10:26 pm GPP P
Chapter 54
“This isn’t a matter that can be resolved with a checkbook. And what message does that send to Noah? That every problem can be solved by throwing money
at it?”
I lowered my voice slightly, but made sure my words carried weight. “Children learn by example, Mr. Thornton. Is this the lesson you want him to
internalize?
Caspar followed my gaze to Noah, then back to me. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he slipped the checkbook back into his pocket.
I could see his jaw tightening, a telltale sign of his displeasure.
“Then what is it about?” he pressed, his voice cooler now. “Noah has made remarkable progress under your guidance. I don’t understand why you would
abandon that.”
‘I’m not abandoning anything, I replied, struggling to keep my own irritation in check. “My time at the gallery was always meant to be temporary. I have my own work that I need to focus on.”
Noah faced us, his eyes darting between his father and me.
Suddenly, his expression brightened with childish inspiration.
“If you don’t want to marry Daddy,” Noah said matter–of–factly, “you could marry me instead.”
He nodded solemnly, as if he’d just solved a complex problem. “Edward says when people get married, they live together and see each other every day. So you can marry me, and then we’ll always be together.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, the tension in the room momentarily broken by his earnest proposal.
Even Caspar’s lips twitched slightly.
‘Oh, Noah,” I said, gently smoothing his hair, “that’s very sweet of you to offer, but marriage doesn’t quite work that way. You have to be a grown–up to get
married. ”
Noah considered this for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. “But I’ll be a grown–up someday. Will you wait for me?”
I smiled softly, touched by his innocent devotion yet determined to help him understand.
“By the time you’re grown up, Noah, I’ll be quite old,” I explained gently. “And more importantly, marriage is a sacred relationship. It’s something that happens when two adults have very specific feelings for each other.”
I took his small hands in mine. “But I can promise you this–I’ll always be your friend. *
Noah stared at me with those impossibly deep eyes, his expression contemplative.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he gave a single, solemn nod.
“Okay,” he whispered, his small voice filled with reluctance. “I understand.”
“You can go if you have to. His lower lip trembled slightly. “Dorothy says we shouldn’t make people stay if they don’t want to. But…” he looked up at me with those impossibly deep eyes, ‘could you still come see me lots? I’ll miss you.”
The simple maturity in his words caught me off guard, making my heart swell with both pride and sadness.
2/3
Chapter 54
I met his gaze directly. “Noah, I promise I’ll still come to see you. We can still paint together.”
“When?” he demanded, his eyes filling with tears that he stubbornly refused to let fall. When will you come?”
‘Whenever I can,” I tried to keep my voice steady.
Noah’s chin quivered slightly, but then he took a deep breath and whispered, “If you don’t come to see me, I’ll find you myself.
His small voice carried such determination. I know how to ask Edward to drive me. Or I can follow the stars like in my paintings.
The innocence and resolve in his voice made my heart constrict.
“Noah, listen to me. You won’t need to do that. I promise I’ll come to see you at least three times every week.”
His expression immediately brightened. ‘Pinky promise?” he asked, extending his little finger.
I linked my pinky with his. “Pinky promise.”
“You realize, Caspar interjected, his voice deceptively casual, “that promises to children aren’t to be taken lightly, Miss Lane.”
I met his gaze steadily. “I’m well aware of the weight of promises, Mr. Thornton.”
On the way home, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d done in a past life to end up so thoroughly entangled with the Thornton men.
What is it about this father and son?
Why do I feel like I’m paying off some debt I never knew I owed?
Comments
2
Chapter 54
Audrey’s POV:
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what I knew would be a difficult conversation
I knelt beside his chair, bringing myself to his eye level. ‘Next month, I won’t be working at Luminous Gallery anymore.”
His hand froze mid–motion, paintbrush suspended over the palette. “You’re… leaving?‘ His voice became so small it nearly broke my heart.
‘I’ll still see you, I rushed to explain, placing my hand gently on his arm. “I just won’t be your teacher at the gallery anymore.”
“But why?” Noah’s eyes widened, a look of betrayal crossing his features.
‘Did I do something wrong? I’ll be better, I promise!”
“Oh, Noah, no!” I pulled him into a hug, careful not to get paint on either of us. “You’ve been absolutely perfect. This has nothing to do with you.”
He pulled away, his little face scrunched in confusion. “If I’m perfect, then why are you leaving me?”
The raw hurt in his voice made my chest ache.
“I’m not leaving you,” I explained, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m just not going to work at the gallery anymore. But I’ll still come to see you often, I
promise.”
Noah suddenly turned away from me, his shoulders rigid with anger. I reached out to touch his shoulder, but he shrugged away from my hand.
The rejection stung, but I understood his feelings all too well.
“Is it because you received a better job offer, Miss Lane?”
The deep voice from behind me made me jump.
I turned to see Caspar Thornton standing by the doorway, his expression unreadable. How long had he been there?
I straightened up, trying to maintain my composure. “No, Mr. Thornton. It’s not about money or a better position,”
Caspar stepped fully into the room, his imposing presence filling the space.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a checkbook, his movements deliberate and confident.
‘Name your price,” he said calmly, uncapping an expensive–looking pen. “Whatever they’re offering, I’ll double it.”
I stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Of course, his first instinct would be to solve the problem with money. In his world, everything had a price tag. The casual way he brandished his checkbook -as if my dedication to Noah could be bought–both offended and amused me.
*Mr. Thornton,” I said carefully, glancing meaningfully at Noah who was pretending not to listen but whose ears were clearly perked up.
1/3
10:26 pm GPP P
Chapter 54
“This isn’t a matter that can be resolved with a checkbook. And what message does that send to Noah? That every problem can be solved by throwing money
at it?”
I lowered my voice slightly, but made sure my words carried weight. “Children learn by example, Mr. Thornton. Is this the lesson you want him to
internalize?
Caspar followed my gaze to Noah, then back to me. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he slipped the checkbook back into his pocket.
I could see his jaw tightening, a telltale sign of his displeasure.
“Then what is it about?” he pressed, his voice cooler now. “Noah has made remarkable progress under your guidance. I don’t understand why you would
abandon that.”
‘I’m not abandoning anything, I replied, struggling to keep my own irritation in check. “My time at the gallery was always meant to be temporary. I have my own work that I need to focus on.”
Noah faced us, his eyes darting between his father and me.
Suddenly, his expression brightened with childish inspiration.
“If you don’t want to marry Daddy,” Noah said matter–of–factly, “you could marry me instead.”
He nodded solemnly, as if he’d just solved a complex problem. “Edward says when people get married, they live together and see each other every day. So you can marry me, and then we’ll always be together.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, the tension in the room momentarily broken by his earnest proposal.
Even Caspar’s lips twitched slightly.
‘Oh, Noah,” I said, gently smoothing his hair, “that’s very sweet of you to offer, but marriage doesn’t quite work that way. You have to be a grown–up to get
married. ”
Noah considered this for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. “But I’ll be a grown–up someday. Will you wait for me?”
I smiled softly, touched by his innocent devotion yet determined to help him understand.
“By the time you’re grown up, Noah, I’ll be quite old,” I explained gently. “And more importantly, marriage is a sacred relationship. It’s something that happens when two adults have very specific feelings for each other.”
I took his small hands in mine. “But I can promise you this–I’ll always be your friend. *
Noah stared at me with those impossibly deep eyes, his expression contemplative.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he gave a single, solemn nod.
“Okay,” he whispered, his small voice filled with reluctance. “I understand.”
“You can go if you have to. His lower lip trembled slightly. “Dorothy says we shouldn’t make people stay if they don’t want to. But…” he looked up at me with those impossibly deep eyes, ‘could you still come see me lots? I’ll miss you.”
The simple maturity in his words caught me off guard, making my heart swell with both pride and sadness.
2/3
Chapter 54
I met his gaze directly. “Noah, I promise I’ll still come to see you. We can still paint together.”
“When?” he demanded, his eyes filling with tears that he stubbornly refused to let fall. When will you come?”
‘Whenever I can,” I tried to keep my voice steady.
Noah’s chin quivered slightly, but then he took a deep breath and whispered, “If you don’t come to see me, I’ll find you myself.
His small voice carried such determination. I know how to ask Edward to drive me. Or I can follow the stars like in my paintings.
The innocence and resolve in his voice made my heart constrict.
“Noah, listen to me. You won’t need to do that. I promise I’ll come to see you at least three times every week.”
His expression immediately brightened. ‘Pinky promise?” he asked, extending his little finger.
I linked my pinky with his. “Pinky promise.”
“You realize, Caspar interjected, his voice deceptively casual, “that promises to children aren’t to be taken lightly, Miss Lane.”
I met his gaze steadily. “I’m well aware of the weight of promises, Mr. Thornton.”
On the way home, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d done in a past life to end up so thoroughly entangled with the Thornton men.
What is it about this father and son?
Why do I feel like I’m paying off some debt I never knew I owed?
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2
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
