Page 73 of Sunrise

“You do not want to do this,” I warn.

“It’s already done.” He casually looks around. “If you don’t like it, leave.”

That’s been the plan all along. They’re trying to push me out. After all the sleepless nights I put into this, all the labor and energy and love… they’ve taken itall once it was proven to work.

I’ve never felt such betrayal in my life. It hardly seems real.

A sudden calmness takes over me.

Bill wants a reaction. I refuse to give him anything more than what I already have.

Crossing my legs, I lean back and deadpan him. The triumphant smile on his face falters a little. I think an angry woman might be concerning to him.

But a silent one is positively terrifying.

Good. He should be scared of me. I’m going to have his balls in a jar for this.

“Well…” I stand up and smooth my dress down. “I’ll see you back at the lab, then.”

“You’ll have ten minutes to collect your things once you get there,” he says, that smirk coming back out. “Security will be waiting to escort you to and from the building.”

My legs almost buckle.

The little confidence I’ve mustered burns to ash in a blink. I can’t hold back my angry tears, so I quickly turn and walk away before he can see them. He had us seated in the back corner of the restaurant. It takes a lifetime to make my way to the entrance and out the fucking door.

By the time I’m outside, I’m gasping for air.

I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fight my way out of this. Everything I’ve worked so hard on is gone. Gone! Given to someone else. Someone I thought was my friend. Jesus, I’ve been to his kid’s birthday parties, for fuck’s sake. I’ve had brunch with his wife. I cared about James.

And it was all a lie.

Retreating into my mind, I numbly pull up theUber app and order a driver.

???

Bill wasn’t lying about one thing at least. Thereisa security guard waiting at the entrance of the building for me.

“Sophie,” he says, as if we’re friends.

“Go to Hell.” I march past him and use my card to swipe the elevator.

It doesn’t work.

I swipe again and the light glows red.

Closing my eyes, I pray to all the powers that be to help me survive this.

It’s not the end of the world, I remind myself.And you were miserable here, anyway.

But that’s not the point. My hard work is being credited to someone else.

The security guard uses his card key and lets me into the elevator, pushing the button to my floor for me. I stare straight ahead and don’t move a muscle until the doors open. The lab is bustling with employees going through the last hours of the work week, seemingly having no clue that my time here is at an end.

My office is on the right.

I turn left and head straight to where I hear James laughing.

My heels clack on the floor, beating as hard as my heart thumps.

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