Chapter 5

Do you really think I can't find my own place without you?

I'm not the only one walking away.

My team, those who burned the midnight oil with me, believed in me, supported me, and saw me as the backbone of the group, too.

They don't deserve to be stuck in that toxic hellhole, getting grossed out by the boss's lovesick girlfriend and having their futures wasted by a clueless boss.

Roger Ferguson.

Rowena Daniels.

One of you turns a blind eye, the other stirs up trouble.

Enjoy these last good times while you can.

Let's see how far your toxic, codependent love can keep this company afloat.

I closed my eyes, already running through the details of my escape plan and figuring out how to get my team on board.

This time, it wasn't just me walking out the door.

*****

The next morning, I was woken up when sunlight hit my face. My head was pounding, not just from the leftover alcohol, but from all the emotional turmoil of the night before.

But my mind was surprisingly clear.

I opened my eyes, stared at the familiar ceiling, as memories from last night played back in my mind, crystal clear.

Rowena, eyes brimming with tears, was trying to force my hand.

Roger's sly little grin.

Everyone cracking up around me.

And those loud, unmistakable barks.

And finally, that line that sent a chill straight through me: "You don't need to worry about any of this. Just stay put and be good."

My chest felt like it was being squeezed tight, but that ache was quickly buried under a wave of cold resolve.

Sadness? Feeling wronged?

No.

Those emotions were already dead and gone the second I made up my mind to leave.

Now, all that remained was my goal.

I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and powered it on.

Instantly, a flood of notifications started pouring in.

I had over 99 unread messages.

Most of them were from the department group chat, everyone buzzing about last night's craziness.

[Damn, last night was an eye-opener. Ms. Poe was seriously tough!]

[Tough? More like humiliating, honestly. If that were me, I'd have quit on the spot.]

[Mr. Ferguson really crossed the line.]

[Shh, keep it down. Don't let anyone see this.]

[Ms. Daniels always seemed so sweet. Who knew she could be like that?]

[She's just acting all spoiled because the boss dotes on her. Can't believe Ms. Poe puts up with all that crap.]

[For 100K, I'd bark like a dog too.]

[Think Ms. Poe's gonna show up today?]

There were also a few direct messages mixed in.

Erasmus: [Gina, are you feeling any better? Try not to let last night get to you. Mr. Ferguson really didn't have much of a choice...]

Colleague: [Gina, you okay? We've got your back!]

Receptionist: [Ms. Poe, Ms. Daniels came in super early today. She's been in Mr. Ferguson's office all morning. Just a heads up.]

I scrolled through my phone, my face expressionless, quickly skimming the screen.

There was nothing from Roger.

Not a single message.

He didn't even bother with a half-hearted text to comfort his star closer after what happened last night.

It seemed, for him, last night was already behind him.

Or maybe he just thought this whole thing was nothing.

I smirked, my smile icy and mocking.

Good.

That just made it even easier for me to do what I have to do; no baggage, no second thoughts.

I swiped past all the work stuff and tapped on the contact labeled "Aros Tech, Harlan Todd."

Harlan Todd, founder and CEO of Aros Tech, had been really genuine about wanting me on board.

I typed out a short, to-the-point message and sent it off. [Hi, Mr. Todd, good morning. About your offer, would today be a good time to drop by and talk details?]

The reply came back almost instantly. [Anytime works for me, Ms. Poe. I'm totally free this morning; just let me know when you're coming.]

Even through the screen, I could practically feel Harlan's excitement and eagerness.

[I'll be there in an hour. See you at your office.]

[Awesome! Can't wait to see you!]