Page 99 of Shattered By Grace

Victoria froze, her eyes narrowing as confusion and anger bubbled up. “I’m sorry, what?” She stood at the counter, arms crossed tightly. “You called my boss?”

Tristan glanced over his shoulder, a cocky smirk playing at his lips, but his eyes remained cold, unreadable. “Relax. Me and Whitney go way back.”

“That’s supposed to make it better?” Victoria’s voice trembled with fury. “If anything, it’sweirdknowing you’ve got a history with my boss.” She was shaking, the intensity of the emotions surging through her.

Tristan sets down the knife he was using, wiping his hands on a towel before turning to face her fully. He keeps a straight face, though a flicker of humor simmers underneath.

Is this bitch laughing at me?

“Gra—I mean, Victoria.” Whatever amusement was there vanished, replaced by the same detached Tristan from this morning. “Whitney and I go way back because she dated a friend of mine. Plus, my family owns the hospital you work at, so technically, I’m your bosses’ bosses’ boss.”

Victoria slapped her hand against the island, the sharp sound cutting through the heavy silence. “Did it ever occur to you to wake me up so I could handle my own damn life?” Her voice was sharp, edged with frustration but beneath it, there was something deeper. Hurt.

Tristan leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “I wasn’t trying to control you, Victoria. I was trying to help.” His voice was calm, but there was a tightness to it.

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “You don’t get to make decisions for me, Tristan. Not about my job, not about my life.” Her hand shot out. “Can I have my phone, please?”

He pulled it from his back pocket and stepped closer, his fingers grazing hers as he placed it in her palm. A brief spark. Their eyes locked, the weight between them shifting, heavy with something unvoiced.

Something in the way he looked at her made her breath hitch.Say something. Anything.

“I need to go home,” she blurted, breaking the moment. “I need to check on my cat, Clawdia.”

You idiot. You could have said anything.

She glanced down, unlocking her phone, scanning the flood of messages from Taylor.

Taylor

Hey, just wanted to check on you. Text me.

Okay, it’s been several hours, Victoria. Where are you?

Bitch, I am about to go nuclear on you. Did something happen?

Victoria exhaled sharply, guilt twisting in her gut. Taylor was freaking out.

She quickly typed out a response.

Victoria

I’m fine. I’ll fill you in soon.

Would it be a lie to say she was fine? Maybe. But right now, she had bigger problems.

Victoria was still scrolling through her texts when Tristan’s voice cut through the silence.

“I’ll take you home after dinner.”

Her head snapped up. “I don’t need?—”

“You do,” he interrupted, his tone sharp. “And we still need to talk.”

She tensed. “About what?”

Tristan leaned against the counter, watching her like he was waiting for her to crack. “About who you are, Victoria.”

The weight of his words settled between them, suffocating.

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