Bye Bye Lovesick Puppy No Longer Chasing Your Glow, I Became My Own Sun novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Five years later, I stood in the gleaming corridors of Reed Aerospace Technologies, barely recognizing the woman I’d become.

The transition from MIT to Reed Industries had been swift and brutal. Within six months, we’d transformed a traditional aerospace manufacturer into a cutting–edge technology company, with Felix as CEO and me as his Executive Vice President of Research and Development. On paper, we were partners. In practice, I’d slowly watched myself become his very well–educated assistant.

“The Morrison Foundation contracts need your signature,” I said, entering Felix’s corner office with the quarterly reports in hand. The Boston skyline stretched out behind him, a testament to how far we’d climbed.

Felix looked up from his computer, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the man I’d fallen in love with at MIT. Then the moment passed, and he was all business again.

“Just leave them on the desk. I’ll review them later.” His attention was already back on his screen, fingers flying across the keyboard. “Oh, and cancel my 3 PM. Something’s come up.”

“That’s the third meeting you’ve canceled this week,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. “The investors are starting to notice.”

“The investors can wait. This satellite contract is worth more than all their concerns combined.”

I set the papers down harder than necessary. “Felix, when was the last time we actually discussed research? Real research, not profit margins and market projections?”

He finally looked at me fully, and I saw irritation flicker across his features. “Drielle, we’ve been through this. Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We need revenue to fund innovation, and revenue requires commercial applications.”

“When did you start sounding like your father?”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Felix’s expression hardened immediately.

“My father built this company into what it is today. Maybe it’s time I started listening to him.”

“And what about what we built? What about the Mars project, the deep space initiatives we planned?”

“Are all still in development, with better funding and resources than we ever had at MIT.” Felix stood up, his voice taking on the authoritative tone he used in board meetings. “Drielle, I appreciate your passion for pure research, but we have responsibilities now. Shareholders, employees, contracts worth billions.”

“Responsibilities,” I repeated hollowly. “Is that what I am now? Another responsibility?”

Bye Bye Lovesick Puppy: No Longer Chasing Your Glow, I Became My Own Sun

“I’m going home,” I said quietly. “Don’t wait up.”

I was halfway to the door when Felix’s voice stopped me.

“Drielle.” His tone was gentler now, almost pleading. “I know this isn’t what we planned. But everything I’ve built, everything we’ve accomplished–it’s all been for us. For our future.”

I turned back to look at him, standing behind his massive executive desk in his perfectly tailored suit, and felt the distance between us like a physical ache.

‘What future, Felix? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve built an empire and forgotten to leave

room for me in it.”