Chapter 45\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched Selena walk away, her face flushed with excitement. She seemed to have completely forgotten why she\u2019d come to Nest Design in the first place, now floating on cloud nine imagining some romantic future with Ridley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she finally disappeared around the corner, I released a barely perceptible sigh of relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked up at Ridley, conflicted emotions crossing my face. Thank you for helping me out, Mr. Sterling.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If my memory served me correctly, this was the third time he\u2019d rescued me from my family\u2019s machinations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a thank you?\u201d His deep voice echoed from above, instantly dissolving whatever gratitude I\u2019d been feeling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pressed my lips together, fighting irritation. \u2018Would you like me to treat you to dinner as thanks?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDinner won\u2019t be necessary,\u201d he replied coolly. \u201cThere\u2019s a gala tomorrow evening. You\u2019ll accompany me as my plus one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked, certain I\u2019d misheard. \u201cMr. Sterling, I don\u2019t think someone in my position would be appropriate as your companion for such an event.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a business function with Nest Design partners,\u201d he stated matter\u2013of\u2013factly. \u201cAs design director, you need to build these connections. How else do you\u00a0<\/p>\n
plan to meet your department\u2019s targets this quarter?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I fell silent. He had a point. Since becoming design director, the entire department\u2019s performance rested on my shoulders. My professional network was still\u00a0<\/p>\n
largely connected to Wright Creatives\u2013my foster family\u2019s company.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d I nodded, trying to sound more confident than I felt. \u201cI\u2019ll meet you after work tomorrow, then.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned and headed toward the bus stop, feeling his gaze following me as I walked away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When I arrived home, Oliver was waiting eagerly at the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMom! I got something special for you!\u201d he announced, taking my hand and pulling me toward the kitchen. \u201cI bought your favorite dessert!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the counter sat an elegant box containing what appeared to be an exquisite tiramisu, beautifully garnished with chocolate shavings and a dusting of\u00a0<\/p>\n
cocoa powder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis looks amazing,\u201d I said, surprised. \u201cWhere did you get it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018From that little bakery down the street, Oliver replied proudly. \u201cI went there this afternoon. Do you like it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I examined the dessert more closely, something about it struck me as familiar. The presentation style, the distinctive layering, even the subtle coffee aroma reminded me of the desserts I\u2019d seen on Ridley\u2019s office coffee table this afternoon. It seemed too upscale for our neighborhood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs something wrong?\u201d Oliver asked, noticing my hesitation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maybe it was simply a popular dessert style making the rounds. That\u2019s typical in the food business\u2013a successful creation at one place quickly gets replicated across the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 45\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head, pushing the thought aside. \u201cNot at all. It looks delicious. Let\u2019s have some after dinner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
While preparing our meal, I couldn\u2019t help but think about tomorrow\u2019s gala. As Oliver chatted about his day, my mind kept returning to one pressing concern: I had absolutely nothing suitable to wear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After dinner and our shared dessert\u2013which was, indeed, exceptional\u20131 stood before my open closet, surveying my limited options with growing anxiety. Over the years, I\u2019d always borrowed Selena\u2019s cast\u2013off dresses for formal events, returning them afterward. As a result, 1 owned nothing appropriate for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
high\u2013profile gala.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I checked my bank account balance: less than two hundred dollars to last until my next paycheck. Nowhere near enough for a dress worthy of standing beside Ridley among Chicago\u2019s elite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMom? What\u2019s wrong?\u2018 Oliver appeared in the doorway, observing my worried expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed, closing the closet door. \u201cI\u2019m attending an important event tomorrow evening, so I\u2019ll be home a bit late. I\u2019ll talk to Hunter in the morning about staying with you longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you look worried.\u201d Oliver asked perceptively, \u201cAre you considering what to wear?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I didn\u2019t have a suitable dress. I\u2019ll just rent something,\u201d I replied, attempting to sound unconcerned. \u201cFifty dollars should get me something presentable enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA dress?\u201d Oliver\u2019s eyes lit up. \u201cI can help you with that!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smiled at his enthusiasm. \u201cThat\u2019s sweet of you, but this is grown\u2013up business. Now it\u2019s bedtime for you, mister.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay!\u201d he replied, climbing into bed with surprising eagerness. \u201cGoodnight, Mom!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I kissed his forehead and turned out the light, my mind still preoccupied with tomorrow\u2019s challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The alarm woke me the next morning. As I headed to the bathroom, I noticed an enormous, elaborate box on the living room table that definitely hadn\u2019t been there the night before,\u00a0<\/p>\n
My sleepiness vanished instantly as I approached and opened it to find\u2026 a gown?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I lifted it out in disbelief. It was a voluminous princess\u2013style dress with a skirt adorned with pearls and gems. The waist featured an enormous, ornate bow. The style was decidedly juvenile\u2013like something from a child\u2019s fairy tale rather than appropriate business attire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Do you like it, Mom?\u201d Oliver suddenly appeared, his dark eyes reflecting the sparkle of the jewels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I picked it myself! You\u2019ll look so pretty in it!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him, bewildered. \u2018Oliver, where did you get this dress?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI went out this morning and bought it with my allowance,\u201d he replied with a shy smile. \u201cI knew you didn\u2019t have a dress for tonight. It wasn\u2019t expensive\u2014just fifty dollars. Please say you\u2019ll wear it?\u2018\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart melted at his thoughtfulness, even as I wondered how he\u2019d managed to purchase anything this early in the morning. Though the style was far from what I would choose, I couldn\u2019t disappoint him after such a sweet gesture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 45\u00a0<\/p>\n
I leaned down and kissed his cheek. Of course I will. Thank you for thinking of me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A fifty\u2013dollar dress might be cheap, but the love behind it was priceless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At work, I had just finished reviewing material samples when my phone chimed with a message from Aiden:\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Ms. Wright, there are some questions I need to discuss. Do you have time to come to my office now?]\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the young heir summoned, one made time. I took the elevator to the top floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I entered the executive office, I immediately noticed a sleek shoe box on the desk that gave me a strange feeling\u2026 Could this be another gift?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Uninished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 45 Chapter 45\u00a0 Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0 I watched […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30444\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}