Twenty
TWENTY
SOPHIE
W e’re almost finished with Monday’s presentation, and I’m quite excited. We’ve managed to come up with the ten concepts Liam wanted, and they’re all beautiful. It’s been a while since I worked under such a tight deadline. I kind of like it. The stress is invigorating—it keeps me going.
Working with Jared again hasn’t been as bad as I thought. He seems to have worked on himself. He’s not the aloof, selfish young man who only looked out for his own interests anymore. At least, that's the vibe I’m getting. He’s grown up.
I’m in the middle of getting ready when Adeline burst into my bedroom.
“So, what are you wearing for this ‘not a date’?” she asks, using her fingers to make air quotes. I laugh, slipping into the pink silk dress I’d picked out. “It’s not a date, Addie. This is just his way of apologizing. He owes me that, and honestly, I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant forever.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” she says, unconvinced. “And you’re telling me you feel absolutely nothing for him?”
“Nothing,” I say, confirming my statement for the hundredth time while zipping up the dress. “Not even a spark of curiosity. Whatever we had, it’s gone. Poof. Completely.”
There’s a pause on the other end, and I meet her gaze in the mirror, “Just spit it out, Addie.”
A sly smile spread across her face. “I think Liam would be a great match for you.”
My hand stills on the too big straps. “Liam? As in Liam my boss?”
“Liam. As in our friend Liam. And yeah, so what if he’s your boss now? He won’t always be.”
I turn and give her a look—a mix of disbelief and exasperation, eyebrows raised and lips pursed, challenging her suggestion without saying a word. It should be enough, but with Adeline, you never know.
“He’s hot,” she says matter-of-factly, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. “Like, really hot.”
I roll my eyes, trying to brush it off. I know he’s hot. I know it all too well.
She walks up to me, smiling. “He’s also super nice. And fun,” she adds, nudging me with her elbow.
“If he’s so great, then why aren’t you dating him?” The words slip out before I can stop them, and as soon as they do, I feel a strange tugging sensation in my chest. I might be over him, I think, but if something were to happen between them. I don’t think I could handle it. He can date whoever he likes, as long as they're out of my sight.
Adeline bursts out laughing. “Ew, girl, he’s like a brother!” She shakes her head. “No Game of Thrones relationships here.”
I try to smile, but the relief that washes over me is so strong it almost knocks me off balance.
Adeline slips behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist in a warm, comforting hug. “Sorry, I’m not gonna push,” she murmurs into my ear. “I just want to see you with someone who would treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” If she only knew.
I turn around in her arms, meeting her eyes with a soft smile. “I want that for you too, you know. You deserve someone that would worship the ground you walk on.”
Adeline rolls her eyes but grins. “So does my mum. She called me this morning, going on about how her cousin’s daughter—who’s five years younger than me, by the way—is already engaged, and how most of my cousins have kids and I don’t.”
She plops down dramatically on my bed, sighing. “I’m the family’s wild card, according to my aunt.”
I laugh, sitting down beside her. “Well, the wild card’s always the most interesting ones in the deck.”
Adeline is the most genuine woman I know. She always looks tough on the outside, taking all the comments thrown at her with grace. However, I know deep down it has started to affect her. A word repeated enough times can become a shadow in your mind, eventually dimming your own light and making you question your worth. Especially when it comes from the people you love the most. They don’t do it out of malice. On the contrary, it’s out of love. It just isn’t done the right way.
“Right?” she answers, nudging me with her elbow. Hiding her discomfort and hurt behind a smile as always.
My sweet, sweet Adeline.
Before I can respond, a sound from outside catches my attention. who’s knocking on the door?
When I open it, I’m met with the last person I expected to see tonight.
Liam is crouched down, carefully placing something on the ground—the vase from the shop, the one I didn’t buy because it was too expensive. He stands up slowly, his eyes traveling from the vase to me. I can see the moment he really takes me in. His gaze is warm, appreciative, and when he finally speaks, his voice is husky. “Wow.”
“Liam?” I ask, my own voice a little breathless. Most likely because I’m caught off guard seeing him in front of my door. “What are you doing here?”
“You look beautiful,” he says, ignoring my question.
“Thank you.” I can feel my cheeks heating up, in a few seconds he’ll know what his proximity still does to me. “Did I forget something I was supposed to do today? I promise, Jared and I are almost done with the terrace project.”
“No, no.” He shakes his head quickly, too quickly. “I just wanted to drop this off. They mistakenly delivered it to my place.”
I raise an eyebrow, glancing down at the vase. “To your place? Is-Is it for me?”
“Yeah,” he says, almost shyly, “for your forget-me-nots.”
“Liam, you didn’t have to?—”
Before I can finish, Adeline appears at the door, still in her cozy loungewear, looking between us with a knowing smile. “Is that Liam I hear?” she asks, her tone teasing.
Liam shifts awkwardly, offering her a smile. “Hey, Addie.”
“This is so weird. We were just talking about you. Maybe manifestation works,” she says, her voice playful yet pointed. Liam's eyes flicker to me, a question in his eyes. Before I can react, Adeline laughs, throwing her head back slightly. “One million dollars, one million dollars, one million dollars would be great,” she continues, her tone shifting to mock seriousness as she throws her wishes into the universe.
Liam chuckles, the tension easing from his shoulders as he joins in the joke. “Let me know if that works out for you. I have some wishes too,” he replies, moving his eyes to meet mine, his smile now more genuine, warming up the room.
I have some wishes too.
Liam bends down and picks up the vase, holding it out for me. “You should put it away before it breaks or something,”
“You really didn’t have to, Liam. I’ll pay you back for it, I promise,” I respond, making this promise while fully aware that it will probably take some time before I actually have saved up enough money.
“No, you won’t. This is a gift for my favorite employee,” he insists firmly, a soft seriousness in his eyes that tells me he won’t take no for an answer.
I pause, looking at the vase in his hands, then up at him. His eyes are soft, they could pull you in at any time. I’m very aware of that. But him stating I’m his favorite employee makes any flush evaporate. He’s my boss and I’m his employee. I have a reputation to keep spotless.
“Thank you, Liam,” I finally say, accepting the gift. “Let me put it away. I’ll be back.” I need a moment to compose myself. I walk to the window and set the vase down gently before adding the forget-me-nots he got me into it.
When I return, Liam is already saying his goodbyes.
“Bye, Soph, have fun tonight. See you on Monday,” he says, his posture unusually tense, almost uneasy. It’s subtle—just a slight rigidity in the way he stands. Maybe his leather jacket is too tight over those broad, muscled shoulders. Don’t go there, brain!
“Bye. Thank you again.”
He offers a fleeting smile, too quick to reach his eyes, before turning to leave.
The moment the door closes behind him, an uneasy silence fills the space.
“Was he weird, or was that only me?”.
“No, I don’t think so,” she replies, her smile wide and a bit too forced. She's also acting weird, avoiding my eyes as she changes the subject. “Show me that flower pot, it looked so pretty.”
Excited to share something positive and perhaps to distract myself, I quickly move to where I placed it. “Look,” I say.
Her eyes light up as she admires it, but then I add, “It was $1,800.” Her hands stop reaching for it, “I’m sorry. How much?”
“Oh my God, I knew I shouldn't have accepted it. It’s too much. I’ll just give it back tomorrow. What was I thinking? I mean, $1800 is a lot. Way way too much and I–”
“Okay, babe. Breathe. You can’t give it back. He wanted to do something nice for you, and you should let him,” Adeline says, her voice calm and reassuring. “Liam obviously cares about you, and this was his way of showing it. It’s a gift, not a debt. You’ve worked hard, and this is his way of showing appreciation. Plus, he has loads of money—this little thing didn’t even break the bank.”
I nod slowly, trying to absorb her words, feeling a mixture of gratitude and unease.
“Yeah, but it’s so much,” I murmur, still not entirely convinced but willing to let it go for the moment. “It is beautiful, isn't it?” I add, trying to shift my focus back to the beauty of the gift rather than its cost.
Adeline smiles. “It's gorgeous, and it’s going to look amazing in here. Now, how about you go and finish getting ready? It’s time for your not-date. ”
Jared booked a table at a new Italian restaurant that’s been the talk of the town. I've heard so much about this place—they say the food is exquisite, and not only that, the environment is just stunning. It exudes upscale charm with a tone of intimacy. Certainly, the perfect date spot, which this is not!
It's a small place tucked away on a quiet street and is known for its authentic ambiance. Soft golden lighting spills from elegant fixtures, casting a warm glow over the rich, dark wood paneling. Each table is draped in red tablecloths, which complement the flickering candle lights. These candles cast flickering shadows that play across Jared’s face, subtly illuminating his classically handsome features—the sharp cut of his cheekbones, the straight line of his nose, and his finely shaped lips. In the soft candlelight, he looks like he could be a figure from a classic painting, undeniably beautiful. Yet, as I observe him, there’s a disquieting calm within me; his perfect features stir no feelings of warmth or affection as they once might have.
Liam’s face flashes in my mind, unbidden—the way his jaw tightens when he’s annoyed, the slight smirk he gets when he thinks he’s being charming. Liam’s presence is anything but calming. It’s infuriating, magnetic, electric. And it stirs something in me that Jared, with all his flawless beauty, never could.
The warmth of the wine settles in my chest as the evening progresses. I’ve already downed two glasses of red alongside my beef carpaccio, each sip making me feel it a little more acutely. The combination of the dim lighting and the wine soothes my nerves yet does little to ease the growing discomfort of the conversation.
“So, Sophie, I've been thinking, this date—” Jared begins, attempting to steer the conversation into more personal territory.
“It's not a date, Jared,” I interject quickly. How many times do I have to tell people? This. Is. Not. A. Date!
“Semantics.” He waves it off with a dismissive flick of his hand, not bothered by my correction. “You and I, we work well together. In more ways than one.” His voice lowers suggestively, and he gives me a look—eyes darkening with something that borders on playful, but also desire. A desire I don’t want.
“Jared.”
“I’m not saying we should get back together. I’m just asking for you not to close all the doors. We’d be a power couple, Soph.”
I don’t like him calling me Soph. Only my closest friends call me that.
And Liam.
“Jared, you and I will not happen. I will never date someone I work with again. My career is my priority, and nothing will change that. I’m trying to build something. And like you are aware, it didn't work out well the last time I dated you.” I try to push it toward what happened, for him to actually understand. I take a sip of wine, trying to calm the irritation bubbling inside. As I look at him, the beauty of his features in the candlelight begins to morph into a reminder of past disappointments to something ugly.
“I'm sorry for that, I truly am. But I was young and dumb and I would have done anything for my career. You know how it is, Sophie. You're just as ambitious. Wouldn't you have done the same?”
Never.
“No, actually, I wouldn’t, Jared. Yes, I’m ambitious. Yes, I want my career to excel. I would do almost anything—but I wouldn’t step on the people I care about or push them down just to get ahead. That’s the difference between you and me.”
“I don’t regret making that choice, because it led me here. The only thing I regret—and want to apologize for—is not taking you with me.”
His words and this whole conversation stir up so much in me. It was such a lousy move on his part, a betrayal that set me back. I remember all the extra work I had to do, the relentless effort to gain even a fraction of the recognition and opportunities his project would have offered me. The unfairness of it all makes the old anger bubble up, the sting of injustice sharp as ever.
But then, dwelling on these grievances won’t change anything. It won’t change the past. And I took myself forward, with or without that project. I did it myself.
My dad’s words echo in my mind, “Don’t expect people's hearts to be the same as yours. You can't expect that people will do as you would. Don’t waste time crying over expectations that were never realistic.” Holding onto resentment will only weigh me down, and I’ve worked too hard to let that happen.
The thought flickers through my mind, maybe I should forgive someone else? I try to dismiss it quickly because, with Liam, it’s different. I made a promise not just to myself but, more importantly, to my father. “Promise me never to be with a man like me, Petal. Please, I don’t want you to be close to any bad situation.” It’s a vow that keeps me from revisiting what Liam and I once had.
“I forgive you,” I finally say, letting everything go. Yes, Jared's actions did prolong my struggle, but they also forced me to grow stronger, more resilient. Now, I'm part of one of the biggest hotel chains in Europe, and I'm paving my way in New York and hopefully the rest of the US. One day, my name will be everywhere. People will have to fight to hire me.
I refuse to look back in bitterness. Instead, I'm choosing to focus on the future, to protect my peace and prioritize my progress. However, one thing I know for sure is that I'm closing all my doors, windows, and every tiny crevice on Jared.
“One arrabbiata and one frutti di mare,” the young waitress says as she places down the food. Thank God. The food is here. I want to move on from our conversation and never look back.
The aroma of garlic and tomatoes from my arrabbiata fills the air, as the plates touch the table. It smells divine.
“So, which of the concepts for the terrace do you think Liam will like the most?” I ask, trying to steer the conversation toward safer territory. Before Jared can respond, another voice interrupts.
“Well, what a coincidence, my two favorite employees on a date. How sweet.” The voice I know all too well, dripping with sarcasm, cuts through the chatter of the restaurant.
No, it can’t be, I pray while I slowly lift my eyes. Does manifesting really work? More importantly, how do I stop it when it comes to summoning Liam?