Mikael barely hesitated before exhaling sharply, shifting in his seat, fingers tightening subtly around his glass.
"Look, Chloe—it's not that big of a deal."
Chloe frowned. "What isn't?"
Mikael clicked his tongue, glancing toward Aria.
And without missing a beat—Aria stepped in.
"Anyway—Chloe, have you thought about rejoining the business?"
Chloe blinked. "What?"
Aria smirked slightly, head tilting in amusement. "Your brother has been waiting for the right moment to drag you back into Redgrave Dominion Holdings."
Chloe scoffed lightly, raising a brow at Mikael. "Oh? Is that true?"
Mikael exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
Then—as if deciding it was better to shift the conversation entirely—he leaned back.
"One of our subsidiaries needs someone sharp. Someone who understands branding, creativity, negotiations."
His tone was casual. Smooth.
But Chloe knew this was deliberate.
A blatant diversion.
Before she could press further, Mikael continued.
"I'll let you start under your own terms. No pressure."
Chloe narrowed her eyes slightly. "You're changing the subject."
Mikael chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No, I'm giving you an opportunity."
Silence settled.
Then—so brief, so quiet—he let one detail slip.
"Kian met an accident."
Chloe's breath caught.
Mikael barely paused before continuing—careful, controlled, ensuring she couldn't dig too deep.
"I don't know much. Just that he couldn't walk for a while. Therapies. Recovery. But that's it."
Chloe's chest tightened.
That wasn't nothing.
And Mikael knew it.
But before she could push—before she could get too far—he threw something else in front of her.
"Think about it, Chloe. You back in the business. You standing where you belong."
And suddenly—the weight of the past settled alongside the pressure of the present.
And Chloe?
She had too many things to figure out now.