He knocked.
The door opened.
Elena stared at him.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
“Mr. Cross?”
Her face changed instantly.
Fear.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
“I finished the guest wing before I left. I know the sheets in the downstairs bedroom are still in the dryer, but I was going to—”
“Elena, stop.”
She fell silent.
Julian lifted the bags awkwardly.
“This isn’t about the house.”
Her eyes moved from him to the groceries.
She understood.
Color rose into her cheeks.
“You heard me.”
Julian did not insult her by pretending otherwise.
“Yes.”
Elena closed her eyes briefly.
“You weren’t supposed to.”
“I know.”
“I don’t discuss personal problems at work.”
“I know that too.”
The baby began crying again.
Elena adjusted him against her shoulder.
Julian saw past her into the apartment.
It was small enough that almost everything could be viewed from the doorway.
A secondhand sofa.
A folding dining table.
A crib positioned near Elena’s bed.
Baby clothes draped over a drying rack.
Three diapers stacked neatly beside a changing pad.
And on the kitchen counter, a formula container with barely anything left inside.
Elena noticed his gaze.
Her embarrassment hardened into defensiveness.
“We’re fine.”
Julian nodded.
“I’m sure you’re doing everything you can.”
“Please don’t increase my hours if you’re planning to take it out later.”
“What?”
“Some employers call it an advance. Then they own your next three paychecks.”
Julian stared at her.
“That’s not why I came.”
“Then why did you?”
He did not have a good answer.
Because I heard how scared you sounded seemed intrusive.
Because thirty dollars means nothing to me sounded worse.
Finally he said, “I wanted to make sure your son had what he needed.”
Elena’s expression softened for only a second.
Then footsteps sounded behind Julian.
Someone was coming up the stairs.
A familiar voice said, “Julian.”
Julian turned.
Malcolm Pierce, Crossfield Development’s chief legal counsel, stood several steps below him.
Julian frowned.
Malcolm was in his early sixties, silver-haired and perpetually composed. He had worked for Julian’s father and had been present at nearly every major corporate decision of Julian’s adult life.
Behind him stood another man Julian recognized from the company’s legal department.
“What are you doing here?” Julian asked.
Malcolm reached the landing.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“This is my employee’s home.”
“Yes,” Malcolm said quietly. “That is precisely the concern.”
Elena went completely still.
Julian saw it.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
She knew Malcolm.
Julian slowly turned toward her.
“Elena?”
Her grip tightened around Caleb.
Malcolm said, “Julian, I recommend that you leave. Immediately.”
