Chapter 41

DAHLIA

I walked out of his office feeling like my lungs were on fire.

Not from crying. No—I wouldn’t give Loren or anyone else that satisfaction. But from holding everything in. The rage. The humiliation. The sting of betrayal from someone I never should’ve cared this much about.

Sebastian had defended me. Sort of. He’d also reprimanded me. Given me a warning like I was the one dragging this place down. Like I wasn’t the one getting cornered, accused, and embarrassed in front of half the staff.

I wanted to scream. Punch a wall. Rip off this apron and walk out for good.

Instead, I walked straight into the back hallway, leaned against the cold tile, and just breathed. In. Out. In. Out.

I was not going to cry. Not here.

A few minutes passed—or maybe seconds, I couldn’t tell—before I heard Jasper’s voice echo from the kitchen.

“Uh, hey—anyone available to take this delivery? Table 17’s order was meant for the VIP at Chestnut Avenue, and so