Grace’s thumb hovered.
Declan said, “Still don’t.”
Grace put the phone down.
A minute later, Ethan called.
She let it ring.
Again.
Again.
Then a voicemail.
Grace did not listen.
Not yet.
She had spent too many years reacting to Ethan’s urgency.
Every problem became immediate because Ethan declared it immediate.
Every dinner interruption mattered because Ethan’s phone rang.
Every vacation changed because Ethan had a meeting.
Every promise became flexible when Ethan wanted something else.
Tonight, for once, his emergency could wait until she finished her soup.
She picked up the spoon.
Rebecca stared at her.
Grace took one bite.
Then another.
Declan’s mouth twitched.
“What?”
Grace asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re smiling.”
“I’m impressed.”
“By soup?”
“By your priorities.”
Grace looked at the bowl.
“My daughter is hungry.”
That ended the discussion.
Twenty minutes later, they returned to the conference room.
Martin Heller had uploaded three years of payment records to a secured data room.
