Manipulation

The smile faltered, just for a split second, before she regained her composure. “What are you talking about? This is an amazing opportunity for you!”

“No, it’s not,” I insisted, frustration bubbling up. “I can’t work for him. He... well, we never liked each other back in high school. I can't imagine having to deal with him on a daily basis. It would be too much for me to handle. "

She sighed dramatically, as if I were being unreasonable. “Isabelle, that was years ago. You can’t still be holding onto that.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “I’m not holding onto it, but that doesn’t mean I want to be his secretary! I’ll find something else, somewhere else. Just… not this.”

My mother’s eyes softened slightly, but not in a comforting way. No, this was the calm-before-the-storm look—the one she used when she was about to unleash her patented guilt trip.

“Oh, Isabelle,” she sighed, placing her hand on my arm. “I know you’ve had your differences with Logan, but people change. And this job—it’s such a big deal! Robert practically handed it to you on a silver platter. Do you have any idea how lucky you are?”

“Lucky?” I echoed, my voice rising a little. “Mum, I don’t feel lucky. I feel trapped!”

She ignored my protests, her grip tightening ever so slightly as she leant in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Listen, darling. Robert and I are getting married. This is your chance to show him—and Logan—that you’re part of this family. This job will be your way in. Don’t you want to be successful?”

I blinked at her, utterly floored. “I don’t need a way into the Sinclair family, Mum. I just want a normal job.”

Her expression hardened for a moment, then she sighed, releasing my arm. “Isabelle,” she said, her tone shifting to that patronising, I know what's best-for-you voice, “you have no idea how much I have sacrificed for you. I worked hard so that you could go to the best private school and college. It's time you paid it back. "

She placed a hand on her chest dramatically, as if I’d insulted her personally. “This isn’t just about you. It’s about our future. Don’t you see? If you turn this down, you’re not only disappointing Robert, but you’re making things difficult for me too. We need to come together as a family.”

There it was—the guilt trip, in all its manipulative glory. I could feel the walls closing in around me. She was always good at this. Pushing my buttons just enough to make me feel like the villain for even considering saying no.

I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. She was steamrolling me, as usual, and I didn’t know how to fight it.

“Robert’s offering you a chance most people would kill for,” she continued, her voice soft but insistent. “Don’t throw it away because of some grudge from your teenage years. You’re better than that.”

I could feel the fight draining out of me. She knew exactly how to make me feel like I was overreacting, like I was being childish. I hated it, but it worked. It always worked.

“You can do this, Isabelle. And you will,” she said, her voice full of certainty. “You’re smart and capable, and this is just the beginning for you. Trust me, darling, it’ll all work out. You’ll see.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, nodding reluctantly. “Fine,” I mumbled, the word barely audible. “I’ll take the job.”

Her smile widened triumphantly, as if she had just won some sort of battle. “That’s my girl,” she said, patting my arm. “You’ll thank me later. Now, let’s get back to the party.”

I watched as she waltzed back to Robert, already chattering away like nothing had happened, leaving me standing there, feeling more trapped than ever.

I was going to be Logan Sinclair’s secretary. My life was screwed.