Impromptu trip

Elias offered her a reassuring smile, though in his mind, he knew that her trust was misplaced. His initial attraction to Olivia had been purely strategic, a means to an end. But as the weeks had passed, something had shifted. Her constant presence, her eager attempts to please him—where once they had been useful, they had now begun to irritate him. He could see the way she longed for validation, for affection, but he no longer found it appealing.

Still, she had her uses, and until he secured his position, he would continue to play his role.

"So," he said, steering the conversation back to safer ground, "tell me, how much does Claire really suspect? Is she onto you yet?"