Page 109 of Brighter Together

The lift pings.

The doors slide open.

My laughter dies instantly.

Lee is standing there.

The look on his face make my whole body lock in an instant.

His eyes move from me to Tommy and then back again.

The smile he gives me contains nothing friendly.

Tommy notices the change in me.

I feel it in the way he immediately straightens beside me.

He takes the sticker from my hand, crunches it into his fist and slips it into his pocket.

Lee turns his attention to him.

“Thomas. It’s good to finally meet you in person.”

His sales voice.

Warm.

Polished.

Completely fake.

“Lee.” Tommy shakes his hand.

Lee barely acknowledges me.

No hello.

No smile.

Nothing except a brief look that makes my stomach clench.

We follow him towards the boardroom.

I look around as we walk.

I recognise hardly anyone.

I left less than a year ago.

That should probably surprise me, but it doesn’t.

The firm has always burned through staff.

Dad and Lee call it people lacking commitment.

Everyone else calls it refusing to be treated like shit.

Lee introduces us to several associates he has pulled into the presentation.