Page 54 of Only Ever Mine

I cupped her face, my thumb brushing over her cheek. "I won’t let them do this to you."

She sucked in a shaky breath and nodded.

Then she turned back to her team.

"Listen up!" Her voice rang through the kitchen, commanding. "We’re making adjustments. I need everyone to move fast. We don’t have time for mistakes."

The kitchen erupted into motion.

I walked out into the dining hall, scanning the crowd.

I spotted the host of the event, a prominent businessman, and made my way to him.

"Everything all right?" he asked, noticing my approach.

I gave him my bestcharm them into submissionsmile.

"Absolutely. Just a slight delay in the plating. In the meantime, how about some additional wine service? On me,” I said.

His eyebrows lifted slightly, but he nodded.

The waitstaff was quick to move, filling glasses, distracting guests, keeping things light.

And forty-five minutes later, the first plates were served.

Scarlett’s team had pulled it off.

Barely.

But I saw the way she kept looking at the entrance, her expression tight.

She knew Victoria Snow wouldn’t stop.

And for the first time, I saw something else in Scarlett’s eyes.

Doubt.

After the last dish went out, she stepped into the back, pressing her hands against the counter, her breathing uneven.

I followed her.

"You did it," I said.

She shook her head. "Did I?"

I stepped closer. "Scarlett?—"

Her hands clenched. "I’m so tired, Christian. Every time I fix something, somethingelsehappens. I can’t?—"

She cut herself off, inhaling sharply.

I waited.

She turned to me, her eyes shining with something dangerously close to defeat.

"I don’t know if I can keep doing this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

My chest tightened.

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