chapter 7

Breaking Point

~Abigail~

I was buried in my work, my fingers tapping away at the keyboard. The ache in my back and shoulders had long since become a dull throb, but I chose to ignore it. I had so much to do, and I couldn’t afford to stop now. If I could just finish this report, maybe I’d take a break, maybe grab a coffee, maybe even go home early.

“Abigail…” I suddenly heard my name.

I lifted my head with a slight groan, expecting maybe one of my team members but what I saw instead made my brow furrow with confusion.

Lucas.

“Grumpy old man!” I muttered under my breath.

His eyes met mine, sharp and piercing, as though I were some sort of puzzle he was always trying to figure out. The slight lift of his brow, his typical half-smirk, only deepened my discomfort.

“I need you to come with me,” Lucas said, his voice calm but firm.

My brow furrowed further, and I leaned back in my chair. “Come with you? To where?” I didn’t like the sound of that.

“Meeting,” he said succinctly, tilting his head slightly as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Now.”

I frowned, a little irritated by the vague explanation. I wasn’t his personal assistant, nor was I particularly interested in being his shadow for the day.

“I’m not your assistant, sir,” I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “And I’ve got a ton of work to do. Can’t you just…”

But before I could finish, Lucas was already walking away from my desk, his long strides cutting through the office like a man on a mission. I stared after him, my stomach tightening with a mix of confusion and something else.

“Ugh,” I groaned under my breath as I pushed away from my desk. “Whatever.”

I stood up and followed him, my footsteps slightly hesitant, my mind racing with questions. I reached the elevator just as Lucas slid in, already waiting with his arms crossed. I stepped in beside him, the tension between us was thick. The elevator doors closed with a soft hiss, and for a brief moment, the only sound was the hum of the machinery as we descended.

The elevator reached the ground floor, and we stepped out into the parking garage. Lucas led the way, his polished shoes clicking against the concrete floor. I followed, half-expecting him to break into a jog or march off like some kind of military leader.

The car was sleek and black, parked in a reserved spot with the engine already running. Lucas slid into his seat without a word, his movements swift and confident, like he owned everything around him. I hesitated for a moment before sliding into the passenger seat.

The car roared to life as we pulled out of the parking garage, the smooth hum of the engine reverberating in my chest. My nerves were beginning to get the better of me now, and I couldn’t help but feel the rising tension in my body. The ride was quiet, too quiet, and I was left with my thoughts.

We finally arrived and I was about to step out of the car, anything to stay completely clear from him. Then, without warning, Lucas leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he muttered, “Behave.”

I felt a shudder running down my spine and a tingling sensation between my legs, I quickly jumped out of the car without a word.

There were three people already in the conference room. Two men and a woman dressed in sharp suits, their eyes flicking over me as I stepped in. The sharp clink of the door closing behind me echoed in the silence of the conference room.

Lucas greeted the investors with his usual confident smile, the one that didn’t reach his eyes. It was like he was playing a part of a well-rehearsed role and we were all just extras in his scene. His handshake was firm, and each word he spoke was measured, calculated. I, on the other hand, felt like a fraud sitting in a room full of people who were out of my league.

The polite murmur of pleasantries filled the air, but it was nothing more than background noise to me. I was too focused on my own swirling thoughts to fully process the introductions.

I glanced at Lucas, who had already seated himself at the head of the table. He motioned for the others to sit, his movements controlled and deliberate.

And then, as the last person settled into their seat, Lucas turned his piercing gaze on me.

“Abigail,” he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Did you come prepared?”

I blinked, confused. “Prepared for what?”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. “For the meeting, of course. Did you bring the tabloid to document everything, like I told you?”

Tabloid?

The word hit me like a slap in the face. My throat went dry, and I could feel my pulse beginning to race. My mind scrambled to recall any conversation where he might have mentioned such a thing, but I couldn’t remember. Maybe he said it in passing, maybe I wasn’t paying enough attention. Either way, I had no idea what he was talking about.

“I—I didn’t know I needed one, sir,” I stammered, my voice betraying the unease bubbling in my chest.

The room fell silent, The investors shifted in their seats, their gazes darting between Lucas and me. Lucas, however, didn’t seem fazed. If anything, he looked… disappointed.

“No, of course, you didn’t,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “How typical of you, Abigail.”

I felt the sting of his words like a slap. My stomach churned, and my hands clenched into fists in my lap. The last thing I wanted was to be the center of attention, but here I was, standing at the front of this rude man, exposed and vulnerable.

“You had one job, Abigail,” Lucas continued, his voice growing colder with every word. “One simple job, and you can’t even get that right.”

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but it wouldn’t go away. My chest felt tight, and I could feel the familiar burn of tears threatening to spill. I had to hold it together. I couldn’t let him see me break…not here, not in front of these people.

But it was hard. God, it was hard.

“You’re completely incompetent,” Lucas spat, his gaze narrowing on me. “Clumsy. Unreliable. How you ever made it this far is beyond me.”

I felt my breath catch in my throat, and I struggled to keep my face impassive, but it was no use. His words sliced through me, each one cutting deeper than the last. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. What could I do? I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I blinked rapidly, trying to stave them off, but it didn’t help.

The investors glanced nervously at each other, their eyes flicking away as if they couldn’t bear to witness the scene unfolding. I could hear their hushed whispers, the way they spoke in soft tones, as though they were afraid to be caught eavesdropping on my humiliation.

My mind screamed for me to fight back, to say something, anything. But what was there to say? That I hadn’t meant to disappoint him? That I didn’t know about the tabloid? That I was just trying my best?

But none of it would matter, would it?

Lucas didn’t pause, didn’t let up. His voice rose, louder now, his anger fully evident. “You don’t deserve to work here, Abigail. You’re a liability to the company. A joke. I don’t know why I keep you around, but I’ll tell you this, you won’t be around much longer if this is how you continue to operate.”

The final blow.

I could feel my hands trembling in my lap, my body rigid, the fight or flight instinct kicking in with all the force of a freight train. I wanted to run, to leave this godforsaken room, but I couldn’t. My body was frozen, every muscle taut with the need to escape.

It felt like this meeting was held to humiliate me, how could he have said all those things in the presence of strangers, he could have saved his insults for later but what do I know? Lucas will use every opportunity to break me, to make me feel bad for myself.

I wondered why he had let me intern in the company if this was the way he was going to treat me, I sniffed, not once not twice knowing I was about to burst into tears, I stood up before I couldn’t stop myself. My chair scraped noisily against the floor. I could feel the tears welling up behind my eyes, my vision blurring, but I wouldn’t let them fall…not here. Not now.

Without saying a word, I turned and walked toward the door, my heels clicking sharply against the floor.