From a Wrong Turn to Mr. Right novel Chapter 78

Ding.

The crisp clink of silverware hitting a porcelain plate echoed through the quiet dining room. A chunk of perfectly cooked salmon slid to the edge of the plate, dislodged by Lavinia’s fork.

Daniel Gill froze mid-bite, staring across the table at her with wide eyes, as if he’d misheard. “Wait, she actually said yes?”

Lavinia Bennett frowned, eyes fixed on the displaced fish. “Yeah, she did. Why are you so surprised?”

Daniel nudged the salmon back to the center of her plate, then, almost absentmindedly, scooped it onto her dish. “Just seems odd,” he said with a shrug. “Her studio’s been closed for months—why would she agree to this?”

Lavinia’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across her face. “And how exactly do you know her studio’s closed?”

Daniel didn’t miss a beat. “One of my college buddies mentioned it. That’s all.”

Lavinia’s gaze lingered on him, searching for a hint of a lie. After a moment, she smirked. “And you believed that? Sounds like a pretty unreliable source.”

She’d wondered if Daniel and Olivia still kept in touch. But if he didn’t even know her studio was open, clearly, that chapter was well and truly closed. The rumor he’d heard was probably just that—a rumor, not even worth checking.

The realization sent a little thrill through her, like fireworks quietly popping in her chest.

She grinned. “I went to her studio myself today, talked to her in person. Trust me, it’s open. So much for your ‘inside info.’”

Daniel stared, confusion etched across his face. He could’ve sworn he’d seen Olivia shutter the place for good.

He hesitated, then sighed. “It’s just better if we don’t get involved with her anymore. What happened before... that was my fault. No point dragging her back into our lives. We’re getting married soon. We should focus on us—and leave the past in the past.”

The phrase “leave the past in the past” made Lavinia’s eyes light up, just for a second. The satisfaction flickered and faded, replaced by something softer.

She was quiet for a moment, then said, barely above a whisper, “Just this once, okay? I promise, after this, I won’t reach out to her again. But she already said yes.”

She looked at Daniel, her voice gentle. “I know you feel guilty, but what’s done is done. She won’t accept anything from us, so this is the only way we can make it right. She’s got the studio, we book a shoot with her—it’s like helping her out, in a way. Making amends.”

With that, she reached into her purse and pulled out the receipt.