Vivienne's POV
I stood motionless as Zachary Newman walked away. My carefully crafted image of myself as a brilliant AI prodigy crumbled with each step he took.
"Not at the level I require," his words echoed in my mind.
Damien placed a hand on my shoulder. "Vivienne?"
I pulled away from his touch. The rejection stung more than I wanted to admit.
"Let's just go," I said, reaching for my purse.
The drive back was silent. Damien kept glancing at me, but I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur together. When we finally reached the parking lot outside his office building, he killed the engine.
"He was harsh," Damien said finally.
I turned to him. "Do you agree with him?"
Damien hesitated just long enough for me to know the truth.
"You do agree," I said flatly.
"It's not about your intelligence," he said carefully. "You're brilliant, Vivienne. You know that."
"Then what is it about?" I demanded.