The Assistant's Awakening

“For three years, I believed I was living a dream, curated by the renowned architect Liam Maxwell, a life where I served as his live-in assistant, blurring professional and personal lines. He mentored me, showered me with gifts, and praised my "brilliant" insights, making me believe I was valued, cherished even, an unspoken affection lingering between us. That illusion shattered when I overheard Liam describe me as "just a glorified intern, useful for fetching coffee and making my designs look better by comparison." He scoffed, adding, "She\'s so dependent on this job, she\'d never leave, even if she knew the truth. Her family needs the money." The world tilted. Every kind word, every thoughtful gift, every professional opportunity twisted into acts of cynical manipulation. I wasn\'t a protégé; I was a tool, a punchline in a cruel joke. The man I had admired, depended on, melted away, replaced by a calculating stranger. A cold rage replaced the hurt, a silent vow to reclaim my worth. How could I have been so blind? So utterly used? How much of my life had I truly wasted on his elaborate charade? The moment he tossed a new file on my desk, demanding renderings by morning, I looked up. "Of course, Liam," I said, a perfect imitation of the naive girl I used to be, knowing that this time, the performance was for me, marking the precise moment I decided to walk away and discover my true value.”