The spectacle faded, but the damage was done. Chloe's business suffered from the unwanted notoriety. A week later, a formal, hand-delivered letter arrived for her, not from Marcus, but from the prestigious Veridia Culinary Institute. It was an invitation for a fully-funded, exclusive six-month "Small Business Innovation Residency," complete with a stipend for a temporary manager. It was a golden ticket, a chance to step away from the chaos and elevate her craft. The funding source was listed as the "Cornerstone Fund."
It was the perfect, anonymous escape. Too perfect. Chloe's sharp mind pieced it together—the timing, the source. This was another of his solutions. A wave of fury washed over her, followed by a cold clarity. He was still trying to manage her life from afar. She didn't decline the invitation. Instead, she walked to his new, modest apartment building (she'd done her own research) and knocked.
When he opened the door, shocked, she held up the letter. "Is this your doing?"
He nodded, bracing for her anger. "Yes. I thought… you deserved an escape from the mess I made."
"You're right," she said, stunning him. "I do deserve it. And I'm going to accept it." She saw the faint, wounded hope in his eyes. "But not like this. Not as another anonymous gift from a ghost. If this residency has any value, it's because of my work, my talent. Not your guilt. So here's my counter-offer. You want to help? You come with me."
Marcus stared, utterly confused. "What?"
"The residency allows for a business partner or mentor to attend certain modules. You want to understand value? You want to stop being a tourist? Then come and learn. Not as my benefactor. As my… intern. You'll do the grunt work, take the notes, fetch the coffee. You'll see what real work, real creation, looks like up close. No lies. No hiding. Just you, Marcus Thorne, in a room full of people who will have no idea who you are, working for me."
It was a brutal, brilliant test. A chance to be near her, but stripped of all power, subject to her authority. It was terrifying. It was the most real offer he'd ever received. "Yes," he said, without hesitation. "I'll do it."