Shattered Glass Unbroken Soul Chapter 10
His hand trembled violently.
“I know it’s too late. But I’ve changed. I swear.”
“Whether you changed or not has nothing to do with me.”
Piper’s sobs grew more desperate.
“Avery, you can’t be this cruel. We’ve known each other for so long. I really was good to you back then.”
“That’s why I didn’t destroy your life for revenge.”
She froze.
My tone was perfectly level.
“I just threw you away.”
Drew suddenly sprang to his feet. He lunged forward, trying to grab me.
Elias stepped out from behind me. He planted himself firmly in front of me.
He didn’t lay a hand on Drew. He just raised his arm, enforcing a one-step barrier.
“You two. Avery doesn’t wish to speak with you any further. Please leave.”
Drew stared at him. For the first time, something besides panic flashed in his eyes.
It was like he finally realized that the space beside me was permanently closed off to him.
“Who the hell are you?”
Elias kept his voice neutral.
“Her curator. And the person she trusts.”
Drew’s face went completely ashen.
I didn’t spare him another glance. I pressed the walkie-talkie to call the gallery security.
Security guards arrived seconds later. They flanked the two of them and escorted them out.
Piper was still wailing.
Just as Drew was shoved out the door, he snapped his head back.
“Avery! I swear I won’t make any more bets!”
The glass doors of the gallery slammed shut.
His desperate voice was entirely cut off.
I looked down and took a sip of my hot tea.
The temperature was perfect.
During the opening reception, Elias quietly pushed a seafood platter out of my reach.
He didn’t ask who those two people were. He didn’t ask how I managed to stay so calm.
He simply slid a menu across the table.
“The reindeer soup doesn’t have anything you’re allergic to. It’s hot. If you don’t want it, we can order something else.”
I looked down at the menu. A genuine laugh bubbled up in my chest.
“How did you know I was allergic to seafood?”
“It was in your studio onboarding files.” He paused. “I was in charge of receiving you. I should remember.”
*Should.*
It was such a simple word. But it held more weight than a thousand hollow promises.
When the soup arrived, Elias pulled a document from his briefcase. He set it down by my hand.
It was a sponsorship application for long-term residency in Iceland.
I looked up.
He sat up perfectly straight. His tone was dead serious.
“Avery. I want to invite you to join my curation program for the next five years. This is not a joke. And there are absolutely no bets involved. You can reject me right now. Or you can take the form home and think about it.”
I flipped through the pages. Every single sheet had a sticky note attached.
He had carefully written out explanations for every single concern I might possibly have.
The studio contract. The exhibition schedules. The revenue split. My housing accommodations.
On the very last page, there was only one handwritten sentence.
*You have the right to say no at any time.*
Heat suddenly rushed to my eyes.
It turned out that getting close to someone didn’t require toxic tests. It didn’t require tearing my life apart to prove we were intimate.
I picked up a pen and signed my name at the bottom of the application.
Elias didn’t rush me. He didn’t flash some arrogant, victorious grin.
He simply gathered the papers neatly and spoke softly.
“Thank you for trusting me.”Â