Chapter 5 · After Eleven Years, I Let Go

Chapter 5

The client I was meeting with today was Rowan Johnson, and he worked in consumer electronics. We had crossed paths years ago at an industry summit.

After an hour and a half of catching up, he handed me a proposal outlining their needs for a new brand consultant. "Susan, our team talked it over, and we'd love to have you on board as our brand strategy consultant for six months."

I flipped through the proposal. It was quite a workload. "I haven't taken on long-term consulting gigs like this independently before."

Rowan smiled. "You just never billed for it before."

I laughed too. He was spot on.

Over the years, I had been involved in far more projects than my name had ever appeared on contracts for.

I didn't say yes right away. I told him I needed a couple of days to think it over.

As I stepped out of the conference room, James' assistant was waiting for me downstairs.

Her name was Alex, and she had been working for him for three years. Seeing me, she let out a sigh of relief. "Susan, Mr. Harper sent me to pick you up."

"Where to?" I asked.

"The office."

"If he needs something, he can call."

Alex looked caught in a tight spot. "The team from Bluewave PR came by today."

It all clicked. Things with Bluewave PR had probably gone sideways.

I didn't get in the car. "I have other plans."

"Susan." Alex hurried after me. "Mr. Harper was really pissed today. Bluewave PR said you used to help them connect resources on a lot of their services, but that was never included in the quote.

"Now they want to charge for the full package."

"That sounds about right."

"Mr. Harper said they're holding us over a barrel."

I stopped. "Over the past few years, whenever Bluewave PR stepped in at the last minute to save HarperTech's neck, I made sure to steer other projects their way in return. It was a win-win for both sides.

"Now that I'm out of the loop, it's completely reasonable for them to adjust their rates."

Alex was stunned. It was obvious she had no idea about any of this. And James might not have known the full story either.

I sent her on her way.

*****

By dusk, James came over in person.

As I arrived back at my apartment building, I spotted his car parked by the curb.

He was leaning against it with his tie loosened, clearly having waited for quite a while. "Let's talk."

I didn't refuse.

*****

The nearby coffee shop was almost empty.

James got straight to the point after sitting down. "You go and handle the negotiations with Bluewave PR."

I picked up my glass. "No."

"A 30% mark-up means adding seven figures to our annual budget."

"Then switch vendors."

"Switching vendors on short notice means at least three months of trial and error."

"Then swallow the new price."

He looked at me, his gaze growing darker. "You know HarperTech has three flagship products dropping this year."

"I know."

"This is the absolute worst time for things to go off the rails."

"Which is why you need to make up your mind fast."

James suddenly let out a dry laugh. It was laced with anger. "You were never like this."

I set my glass down. "And you used to show up right away whenever I was in the hospital."

His expression froze.

I pulled a clear medication bag out of my purse with the date facing up. "Do you remember this?"

James looked down. "What is it?"

"The medication from my surgery two months ago."

He looked up and frowned. "Didn't you say it was a minor procedure?"

"It was acute appendicitis."

"Why did nobody tell me?"

That question made me stare at him for a few long seconds. "I called you 17 times."

James' fingers went stiff on the table. "That day..."

"You were at the launch event."

"My phone was on silent."

"I told you afterward that I was in the hospital."

He didn't say a word.

I continued, "You said you'd come see me that night. That was the night of Emily's birthday."

James swallowed hard. It seemed he had finally remembered. It took a long time before he spoke up. "I thought it wasn't anything serious back then."

"Yeah." I packed away the medicine bag.

He suddenly reached out and held my bag. "Susan, I didn't know."

"Now you do."

"Is this why you want a divorce?"

"You've already made up your mind." I pulled my bag back.

James was stunned. He was the one who brought up the divorce. There was never any question about that.

It was dead silent in the coffee shop. A waiter was wiping down tables in the distance.

James kept his head down, remaining silent for a good while. Finally, he asked, "You had the surgery all by yourself that day?"

"Olivia was there."

His hands slowly clenched into fists.

I stood up. "Sort out the Bluewave PR mess on your own. I used to help you, but that's over now."

As I stepped out of the coffee shop, Rowan texted me an updated scope of work for the consulting deal.

I skimmed through it and replied: [Let's sign it tomorrow afternoon.]

For the first time, I took on a long-term project that belonged entirely to me.

Chapter 5

The client I was meeting with today was Rowan Johnson, and he worked in consumer electronics. We had crossed paths years ago at an industry summit.

I flipped through the proposal. It was quite a workload. "I haven't taken on long-term consulting gigs like this independently before."

Rowan smiled. "You just never billed for it before."

I laughed too. He was spot on.

Over the years, I had been involved in far more projects than my name had ever appeared on contracts for.

I didn't say yes right away. I told him I needed a couple of days to think it over.

As I stepped out of the conference room, James' assistant was waiting for me downstairs.

Her name was Alex, and she had been working for him for three years. Seeing me, she let out a sigh of relief. "Susan, Mr. Harper sent me to pick you up."

"Where to?" I asked.

"The office."

"If he needs something, he can call."

Alex looked caught in a tight spot. "The team from Bluewave PR came by today."

It all clicked. Things with Bluewave PR had probably gone sideways.

I didn't get in the car. "I have other plans."

"Susan." Alex hurried after me. "Mr. Harper was really pissed today. Bluewave PR said you used to help them connect resources on a lot of their services, but that was never included in the quote.

"Now they want to charge for the full package."

"That sounds about right."

"Mr. Harper said they're holding us over a barrel."

"Now that I'm out of the loop, it's completely reasonable for them to adjust their rates."

Alex was stunned. It was obvious she had no idea about any of this. And James might not have known the full story either.

I sent her on her way.

*****

By dusk, James came over in person.

As I arrived back at my apartment building, I spotted his car parked by the curb.

He was leaning against it with his tie loosened, clearly having waited for quite a while. "Let's talk."

I didn't refuse.

*****

The nearby coffee shop was almost empty.

James got straight to the point after sitting down. "You go and handle the negotiations with Bluewave PR."

I picked up my glass. "No."

"A 30% mark-up means adding seven figures to our annual budget."

"Then switch vendors."

"Switching vendors on short notice means at least three months of trial and error."

"Then swallow the new price."

He looked at me, his gaze growing darker. "You know HarperTech has three flagship products dropping this year."

"I know."

"This is the absolute worst time for things to go off the rails."

"Which is why you need to make up your mind fast."

James suddenly let out a dry laugh. It was laced with anger. "You were never like this."

I set my glass down. "And you used to show up right away whenever I was in the hospital."

His expression froze.

I pulled a clear medication bag out of my purse with the date facing up. "Do you remember this?"

James looked down. "What is it?"

"The medication from my surgery two months ago."

He looked up and frowned. "Didn't you say it was a minor procedure?"

"It was acute appendicitis."

"Why did nobody tell me?"

That question made me stare at him for a few long seconds. "I called you 17 times."

James' fingers went stiff on the table. "That day..."

"You were at the launch event."

"My phone was on silent."

"I told you afterward that I was in the hospital."

He didn't say a word.

I continued, "You said you'd come see me that night. That was the night of Emily's birthday."

James swallowed hard. It seemed he had finally remembered. It took a long time before he spoke up. "I thought it wasn't anything serious back then."

"Yeah." I packed away the medicine bag.

He suddenly reached out and held my bag. "Susan, I didn't know."

"Now you do."

"Is this why you want a divorce?"

"You've already made up your mind." I pulled my bag back.

James was stunned. He was the one who brought up the divorce. There was never any question about that.

It was dead silent in the coffee shop. A waiter was wiping down tables in the distance.

James kept his head down, remaining silent for a good while. Finally, he asked, "You had the surgery all by yourself that day?"

"Olivia was there."

His hands slowly clenched into fists.

I stood up. "Sort out the Bluewave PR mess on your own. I used to help you, but that's over now."

As I stepped out of the coffee shop, Rowan texted me an updated scope of work for the consulting deal.

I skimmed through it and replied: [Let's sign it tomorrow afternoon.]

For the first time, I took on a long-term project that belonged entirely to me.