Page 62 of A Simple Reminder
But then he chosemyidea. He believes in me.
And suddenly, all I can think about is how much I want to jump into his arms. Even after crying to my best friend all night. Am I pathetic? Probably. I feel weak, needy—and that’s the last thing I can afford right now. I can’t let myself be that girl—the one who crumbles for a man.
I take a deep breath, willing the desire to pass, but it lingers, a knot tightening in my core.I can’t have this. I can’t have him.
Liam’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“Sophie, would you mind staying for a few minutes?”
I freeze. Part of me wants to run out, but I turn back around trying to keep my emotions in check. “Sure,” I answer, my voice strained as I walk toward the chair in front of his desk. “What do you want to talk about?”
A heavy sigh escapes him, and his eyes lock with mine, searching, questioning. “Why did you do that?”
I stare at him, my mind trying to figure out where this is going.
“Do what?” A part of me knows what he’s talking about, but I don’t say anything about it.
He stands up quickly, his large chest rising and falling heavily as he paces around his desk, then sits on the edge, eyes burning darker than I’ve ever seen them. ”Why do you let Jared take advantage of you?”
“I don’t—” I try to say, but I don’t even know what to say. Before I can gather my thoughts, he cuts in again.
“Yes, you do. I know most of what you and Jared just presented were your ideas.”
“We worked together,” I reply, but my voice comes out smaller than I want it to be, barely audible. The words are partially true because we did work together. But when it comes to that concept, it was mostly me.
His eyes narrow, and I can feel the weight of his disappointment pressing down on me.
“Did you?” His gaze sharpens, his words biting. “Or did he charm his way into you doing all the work? I know you, Soph. You’re one of the most talented people I know, but you let people walk all over you.”
“Liam—”
“No, Soph, you need to hear this.” His tone softens, but the intensity of his stare doesn’t. “When you shine, you shine so bright that it blinds people. You don’t have to share that light with those who don’t deserve it, especially with people who use you.”
I blink rapidly, his words sinking in like a weight I didn’t expect to carry. Do I do that? Let people use me? I let it simmer for a few moments, the reality of it hitting me. I do dim myself for others to shine. But is that always a bad thing?
“He had ideas,” I mutter, almost defensively. Even if Jared did end up screwing me over again, I’m not like him. Something inside me shifts. My dad raised me better. I’m not that kind of girl, who throws people under buses. Maybe I should be, but right now, I’m not. I just can’t. I don’t need to tear others down to have a stepping stone, and I’m not about to start now. It’s not who I am.
I straighten up slightly, feeling a small burst of defiance creep in. If I’m going to get where I want, it’ll be on my terms, not by someone else’s downfall. Karma will get them at its own pace.
Liam crosses his arms over his broad chest, his eyes hard like stone. “What part of that concept was his idea then?”
Damn it.I didn’t expect Liam to want receipts. When I said he had some insight, I meant nodding along when I shared my ideas, maybe joining the conversation.
“Well, we were on the same page with most parts, so can we even say which ideas were his or mine?” I’m grasping at straws now, and Liam knows it.
He just stares at me incredulously, his expression hardening before a laugh bursts out of him—sharp and unkind, cutting through the space between us like a knife.
“What?” I snap, caught off guard by his sudden laughter.
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard, Sophie,” he says, his laughter turning into a hard, mean edge. My jaw tightens as I watch him. What the hell is so funny?
“If you think he’s so bad, then why did you hire him, huh?” I lift my chin, not backing down from the challenge in his eyes. His laughter dies immediately, the serious facade back in place, and its weight crashes down on me.
“If I’m so talented, why didn’t you trust me to work alone?” My voice rises, and I can feel the heat of frustration burning in my chest. I worked so hard on this project. I gave it everything. But instead of letting me fly, he let me sink by pairing me with Jared. For what?
“Youaretalented, Sophie. I do trust you, but we needed more hands. Maybe the choice in hands was wrong. That’s on me,” he says, his voice steady but firm. “But I also need you to stand up for yourself. Don’t let him—or anyone else—take credit for what’s yours. That’s all I’m asking.”
I shake my head, exhausted. ”Fine, I’ll remember it.” I push the chair back and stand. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do if you don’t have anything else you want to talk about,” I say, my voice firm, though inside I’m reeling. I hear a sharp breath leave Liam as I walk away, but I don’t turn around. I won’t give him the satisfaction. My hand is almost at the doorknob, freedom just within reach.
