Page 58 of It Happened Again

Dr. Stone pushed up from her chair, leaning menacingly over her desk, pointing a finger at him like a dagger. "I believe Maisy is telling the truth.”

“That’s rich, Stone. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, standing up for her simply because of her gender.” He snarled, his true colors coming to light.

“From the moment you started working here I've observed the way you operate, Julian. I've long-suspected your control and manipulations, and now I have proof. I'll have you fired. You might as well start packing."

She yelled for her assistant to call in someone from HR. I breathed in at last, holding my head higher. Finally free of him.

He sneered form the doorway. "Before you go thinking you're on the side of right, Maisy, why don't you ask Dr. Stone this question: Out of all the brilliant minds working here at Orion... dozens of proposals submitted for the idea competition... Why did they selectyours?Hm?"

"I don't know what you're getting on about. You're just a vial, pathetic man who can't admit that I won." I shook my head.

Dr. Stone stepped around her desk. "Julian. Out. Now."

"Why did they pick yours, Maisy? Could it be because of your family connections to the Buchanans?" He persisted, and I gasped.

"Shut up, Julian." Dr. Stone physically tried to shove him out, but his hands latched onto the door jamb.

"She was in on it with Patterson," he yelled.

I took a good hard look at her, the woman I'd revered—she wasn't denying his accusation. Was she any better than him? Even at her level, was there a certain game she had to play among the men to keep her own power from slipping?

She yelled to her assistant, "Call security."

He wouldn't be deterred, keeping his eyes on me. "Patterson is seen as this great prophet in science circles, but in reality he's a money hungry and power hungry bastard. He picked your proposal as a way to get in even deeper with the billionaires and raid their pockets. You're nothing but a pawn in Patterson's game, Maisy."

"No..." I let out a shaky breath, wrapping my head around all of it. What was the truth between all these layers of betrayal? Why was I the fool in all of it?

My chest ached and tears flowed as I thought back over my time here at Orion. Was it worth it? I'd wanted to succeed to make my own way, and now it's come to this?

To make matters worse, I'd pushed away the one man who truly believed in me. Brooks... I had to find him.

I needed him. I wanted him. He was the only person involved in all of this I could trust. And yet I pushed him away.

Dr. Stone and Julian got into a physical struggle and shouting match until she finally succeeded at shoving him out. But before she could slam the door, I ran out past both of them. I had to get away. I couldn't stand to be in their presence another minute.

21

COMMON GROUND

MAISY

It was rainingwhen I arrived at the Bellamy Design Group offices. Fitting, really. The sky was crying with me, and I didn’t bother with an umbrella. Let it soak me. I all ready drowned in disappointment.

I stopped by his loft first. No answer. No replies to my texts. Even Archer had gone radio silent. I prayed he'd be here. Would he want to see me though?

I took the elevator up, each floor like a countdown to the unknown. My heart pounded—not just from the betrayal at Orion—but because I needed Brooks.

The doors slid open, and the office was quiet—eerily so. I stepped in, heels clicking across the polished wood floor. Lacey looked up from behind her desk, stylish as ever in a pale silk blouse and a dark pencil skirt that screamed high fashion, while glaring at me with hidden armor.

"Maisy?" she stood slowly, as if she hadn’t expected me. "You look… are you okay?"

"Do you know where Brooks is? I need to talk to him." My voice cracked on the question.

She hesitated. "He’s… he had to fly out last-minute. There was a problem with one of the projects we have in Jersey."

I stared at her, eyes narrowing. Something in her voice wobbled.

"Of course he did. That's been my day." I cried and sank into the nearest chair, utterly deflated. He flew out of state; obviously difficult in that circumstance to make it back in time for the event tonight.

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