Page 30 of Words We Didn't Say

“Distracted.” Chris sighed. “We’ve talked about this. Partnership is a privilege, not a right. You need to earn it—”

“I’veearnedit. I’m the highest fee earner for a reason.”

“Leadership is about more than how much you bill. I pulled you out of the gutter, Zach. I took a chance on you, and yes, you’re one of the best property lawyers in the city, but no one is bigger than the firm. Personal livesstaypersonal. Don’t make me the monster again. Don’t force me to tell the other partners you’re heading down the same path you were two years ago.”

Shame ripped through me. My eyes, my chin, my whole body just…dropped. “I…”

I couldn’t apologise. I could barely breathe. Did Chris think I’d forgotten the day he’d summoned me to the boardroom? The partners—the people I respected most—had stared down their noses at me, shaking their heads with disgust while he’d presided at the head of this very table, spitting out the long list of ways I’d failed the firm. He should’ve saved his breath. I’d known I wasn’t performing my best. It was no secret I’d let everyone down.

But what other option was there?

Mum’s diagnosis had sent everything off the rails. One day, she’d been pottering around the kitchen. The next, she’d been sitting in front of an oncologist. Breast cancer. Stage three. Dad hadn’t coped. He’d struggled to manage all of Mum’s appointments, her recovery from surgery, and the nights when she couldn’t even keep down water. The chemo had made herso sick. And what if the treatment had failed and Mum had—

Shit.

My hand fumbled for the water sitting on the table. I gulped a few sips, my hand squeezing around the glass, fingertips turning white, my resilience cracking. The script the therapist had taught me ran through my mind.

Count to ten. Count the blessings. Mum’s okay. She’s in remission. Everything’s okay.

The frantic beats of panic slowed in my chest. I loosened my grip on the glass.

When I glanced up, Chris’s lips were curved. I blinked, shaken off-kilter. That couldn’t be right. My mind was playing tricks on me. I blinked again. The smile I’d imagined was replaced with a look of concern.

“S-Sorry,” I said.

Chris dipped his chin in a nod. “Take your time.”

No, no more weakness. Not in front of him. “I’m fine.”

He smiled. This time, it stuck. “Good to hear.” He leant forward, hand reaching out but never actually touching me. “Zach, I’m on your side. You know that. I wouldn’t have invested so much of myself in you if you didn’t have a future here.” His head cocked, thinking for a moment. “Thinking ahead, I’d like you to attend more client events. A couple of networking functions. You need to get your face out there, instead of only being the man hidden behind the desk.”

“Okay.” I’d rather stick a fork in my eye. “I can.”

“And speaking of good impressions… Should I call back the client to let them know we’ve reconsidered our resourcing and can meet their deadline?”

“Ah, y-yes.” I forced a smile. “If you think it’s the best option.”

“Trust me, Zach. It’s the best option for you, too. You’ll see.”

Michaela waved.

Could this day getanyworse?

I pretended not to see her and walked even faster down the corridor. She could buzz off. Everyone else, too. I wanted to get back to my desk and shut out the whole damn world, except for Eden.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Michaela snatch an oversized red folder from a paralegal before charging down the corridor after me.

“Hi,” she huffed, struggling to keep up beside me. “Where’s the fire?”

“Under Chris’s arse.”

Her eyes bulged. The man was basically my idol. I never spoke about him in a tone that harsh. “The meeting with the new clients didn’t go well?” She smirked.

I ignored her.

“Hey, we should catch up about the sale of the building on York Street,” she said.

“Everything’s sorted.”

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