The Adjacent Room [h.s]

Chapter 46

'Do you hear yourself? How could it just be me, Sophie? How could one person run a whole management team? You know nothing about the music industry, and you're making yourself sound like a fool.'

'Don't ask me how you do it, Leslie.' I scoff. 'I do know, however, that you decided that Stephanie belittles, Jett makes the phone calls, Pearson sources the suits and who else does what? You release the falsified photos of Harry with other women?' I retort.

'My god, how long do you want to go in circles, Sophie?' She scoffs. 'I released that photo because of you. Because you have ruined their popularity and we needed to get them back in the spotlight to buy them more time to produce the record without losing relevance.'

'Are you sure it wasn't more something like 'she brings no publicity' and you wanted us to break up?' I fire back, letting the anger take hold. Then, an arrogant smirk crosses her face.

'I applaud you, Sophie, I really do. For being broken up with Harry, I'm impressed you're putting so much energy into this conversation. I always thought you only stuck around as his assistant to make it harder for him to cut you loose when he inevitably got bored.' She snarls.

'Did you think we broke up? We didn't, actually. Your photo failed.' I match. I don't think she likes hearing that she failed.

'Give it up Sophie, seriously!' She screams suddenly. 'Just accept that you do not have the means to understand how this industry works. This is an industry for professionals, not assistants, and unqualified ones at that!' She shouts, anger flaring red in her cheeks now. She's given up hope trying to control herself.

'They are professionals.' I shout back, matching her raised voice, pointing back to the group of people standing in shock behind us. 'You, however, are a psychotic, money hungry, greed filled control freak!' I snap. 'Get out, Leslie, or I swear to god I will ruin you.' I say, inching closer to her with a lowered voice. I didn't pick myself to be the threatening type in an argument, but here we are.

'God, cry me a river why don't you? This is not your area of expertise, and you don't know what you're talking about! You are just an assistant who has gotten too big for her boots!' She screams, even angrier after my threat. Her flushed skin matches her red hair now.

'My boots tell me that calling a band, a brand is not normal!' I fire back. She scoffs in response, tucking her perfectly curled hair behind her ear in retaliation.

'God, are you being serious? You are a joke, Sophie! Management teams refer to their clients as brands. The artists are an entity, and that is a brand. Put a sock in it!'  She screams. Can she really think all this, or is it all part of her scheme?

'You know what, Leslie? This conversation is going nowhere, and I don't want to ever see you aga-'

'I've felt the same towards you from the second I met you, Sophie!' She cuts me off. 'I am saving this brand from you, and consequently from failu-'

'I wasn't finished. Let me speak.' I growl. 'Tell me all you like that it's my fault this band has lost popularity. Remind me I'm just not famous enough for the likes of One Direction. Don't let me forget that I'm just the lucky assistant who Harry is wasting his time fucking, but do not come near the band again.' I speak. 'Get out.' I repeat, moving closer to her. 'Now!' I have no interest in getting into a cat fight with someone I can't even stand to look at, and I'm done trying to get her to admit she's wrong. I'm trying to remain somewhat professional in this argument, and she's making it very difficult.

'You are an assistant, Sophie, and not a very good one at that!' She screeches. I'm shocked I've made her so angry. 'Whatever you claim I have done to them is as a result of you! You have made me your scapegoat for this twisted reason you have made in your mind! I know what I'm doing and the success I'm ensuri-'