“I know what I heard. He said—” Oh, no. My insides twist.
If Julia is saying one thing and Chance said another that means someone’s lying. Julia has no reason to lie to me.
But Chance had every reason to… to keep me here.
I meet Julia’s gaze. Her face has lost color like she realizes it too.
“He…” I swallow. “He lied to me.”
“I’m sure he had a good reason.” Julia stands and places a hand on my arm.
I pull away, pacing. “He lied to me.”
“He has always needed an assistant.” Julia rounds the table and grabs my arms to stop my movement. “Maybe that’s what he meant,” her voice trails off. Even she doesn’t believe that tale.
“Julia, where is he?”
Whatever she sees on my face makes her shake her head quickly. “What if we just calm down first?”
“Where is he, Julia?”
She bites her lip.
I turn away and go to his door. It’s locked. “If he’s not in yet, I’m going to find him.”
I start across the floors toward the elevator and she calls out, “Conference room.”
I turn to her.
“He had an emergency meeting so he came in super early.” Her shoulders fall. “He’s in the conference room.”
I head in that direction.
“Maddie?” Julia’s voice halts me. “Please, be careful.”
I’m done being careful. He lied to me. I was vulnerable with him, admitted my deepest desires and fears, and he just lied so flimsily. Like it’s nothing.
Hell, I may have taken the job regardless of whether he had someone for the job before or not.
I needed the money, but I also wanted to be close to him.
But he’d gone with deception, played on my emotions, and made me believe I was fulfilling a valuable role.
Fuck me.
I’ve been a joke this entire time. No wonder everyone looks at me like I’m a stranger here. I was never needed, just shoehorned in.
Tears catch in my throat as I reach the conference room door. I swallow it down. There’s no time to feel pity for myself, just anger at being played.
That’s all I can allow now.
I close my hands around the door handle and turn. All eyes turn my way as I step in. I look straight ahead, keeping my gaze on him.
His face is lined with exhaustion but his gaze picks up as I come in.
I push away the warm feeling, seeing him up after the night he no doubt had. I can’t have sympathy for him. He deceived me.
“You lied to me.”
