The Assistant's Awakening

e suits, the clinking of glasses, the murmur of conversation-it all faded into a dull roar. My eyes were fixed on Liam. He saw me, and his smile faltered for j

erstanding crossed his face. This was the man who ha

side me. I placed the portfolio on the white tablecloth with a

sual air. "Ah, Chloe. Thank you. I was just about to call y

him?" I asked, nodd

ice cut through the air. "Well, we

riumphant gleam in her eyes. This was her design. All of it. The fake erra

was just looking for you. And Chloe, what a coincidence seeing you here." She tur

prints, was a delicate, jewel-encrusted pen. It was a one-of-a-kind Mon

been looking for all week. He thought it was stolen." She picked it up, holding it between two fingers as if it were contaminated. She

for theft. In public. In front of Liam's co

as racing. I hadn't opened the portfolio. I had just picked it

How convenient that you were the one to find it. After you were fired." She corr

ing with my eyes for him to intervene, to see the

sion was unreadable. He was caught. Defending me would mean accusing his powerful fiancée of orchestrati

voice low and tight. He wasn't defending me. He was j

you're too kind to the help," she said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "Y

c opinion. I felt naked, exposed, my name and reputation being systematically destroyed. I had

outside and wait for me. We'll sort this out." It was an order. He was di

s paralyzed by the

eated, his v

tray of drinks. The tray tilted, and a glass of red wine arced through

ed like a deliberate act of retaliation. Sophia

ed me back, putting himself between me and Sophia as if I were a physical threat. "Ar

a mask of fury. "Look wh

't matter if he believed me. I was a liability, an embarrassment. He had made his

He had protected her, and in doing so, he had utterly and completely betrayed me. The last shred of hop