the twins sleeping nearby, Sarah' s mind drifted back. Back to five years ag

the time was Liam' s grandfather, a kind, elderly man who had put her at ease immediately. Liam, however, was another story. He

t past her, as if she were invisible. If he needed something, he would ad

projections for the European divis

, Liam," the old man would

ithout a word. She would quickly pass him the folder, her heart thumping wit

was her protector. He' d often kee

bark is worse than his bite. He' s been under a lot of pressure si

tes, and told her she had a bright future at the company. Under his mentorship, she began to gain con

uess herself, to feel like an imposter. The confident graduate faded, replaced by

resence. She saw an opening for a project manager in a different department, a lateral m

framing it as a desire to gain experience in a

e of Liam?" h

fixed on the floor. "I don' t think I' m what he' s looking for i

t a boy playing at being a man. But if this is what you feel you must do,

She would be free. She started packing up her desk on a Frid

small anteroom office opened. It was Liam. He stood there, leaning against the doo

ow and laced with something she couldn'

"Mr. Reynolds. I... I w

presence filling the small space

id the word 'marketing' as if it tasted foul. "You think that' s a be

d learning experience," she

Sarah. You' re not a good liar. You' re running away because you can'

ter. She was so stunned she couldn' t even