Chapter 21
I looked at him.
"Everything?"
He hesitated.
Then his expression hardened.
"I've worked my entire life for this opportunity."
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
"And I've worked my entire life to become good at my job."
He waved a dismissive hand.
"You helped. I'm not denying that."
"How generous."
His jaw clenched.
"Don't be sarcastic."
I took a breath.
"You told me I wasn't suitable for client meetings. You told me people were uncomfortable looking at me. You said I should be grateful to work behind the scenes."
"Because I was protecting you!"
The words came out so quickly that I almost laughed.
"Protecting me?"
"From judgment. From attention. From people who would stare."
I looked at him for a long moment.
"You were protecting yourself."
He went silent.
"You didn't want people seeing the scars on my back because they reminded you of what happened," I continued. "And you didn't want people seeing my work because they might ask how much of your success actually belonged to you."
"That's ridiculous."
"Is it?"
He looked away.
I saw his reflection in the polished wall beside us.
For years, he had cultivated an image of effortless brilliance.
The perfect suit.
The expensive watch.
The confident smile.
He loved being the smartest man in the room.
And he had relied on my willingness to disappear whenever my presence complicated that illusion.
"Listen," he said finally. "We can fix this."
I stared at him.
"Fix what?"
"Your interview. The recognition. The misunderstandings."
"There are no misunderstandings about my work."
He stepped closer.
"Tell Gideon you were confused about the project assignments."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You want me to lie?"
"I want you to be reasonable."
"By lying?"
His eyes hardened.
"By remembering who supported you after the fire."
For a moment, the corridor seemed to fall away.
I saw hospital walls.
Bandages.
Preston sitting beside my bed.
His fingers wrapped around mine.
I remembered how desperately I had wanted to believe he loved me.
Then I remembered the years that followed.
I looked directly into his face.
"You didn't support me after the fire, Preston. You made me apologize for surviving it."
He flinched.
I continued before I could lose my courage.
"I saved your life. I gave you years of loyalty. I helped build your career. And when you decided you wanted another woman, you planned to throw me away as soon as you got your shares."