Chapter 2

The next day, I brought Charles the usual stack of documents to sign, with my resignation letter sitting on top.

Charles glanced at it and his face went dark.

"Work is about efficiency. You turn a document to the signature page before you hand it over. Three years with me and I still have to explain something this basic?"

Nina reached over and smacked his arm.

She used that pouty voice of hers.

"Charles, why are you being so harsh? You're scaring Sophia!"

I couldn't help but glance at her desk.

That desk used to be mine.

Then Charles had said, "Nina's your best friend, and she wants to learn. I'll keep her next to me and train her myself. You can work outside."

I swallowed what was in my throat and kept my voice light.

"Sorry, Charles. I was up too late last night, so..."

Charles slammed his hand down on the polished desk.

"I don't want the explanation. One more time and you can put in for your own demotion. Foster Corp holds a standard.

"And during work hours, you use my title."

I turned every document to its signature page and watched him sign them one by one.

My voice came out steadier than I would have believed.

"Understood, Mr. Foster."

Halfway through my exit paperwork, the whole office was buzzing. Diane Lewis from HR came over with her coffee.

"Sophia, you're really quitting? Foster Corp is a good place. Can you really walk away from it?"

I smiled.

"It isn't that I want to go. It's that I can't stay."

Diane paused.

"Come on. We all thought Mr. Foster was about to give you a raise. You brought that intern in and he's crazy about her. People are saying the two of them are already together."

Charles and I had been together three years.

But he always said it would cause trouble at work, so we kept it a secret from everyone in the office.

Nina had been there six months.

And the rumors about her had already taken over the building.

I shook my head and smiled.

"Diane, whatever's going on with them isn't my business."

Once the paperwork was done, I had a courier come for my things.

I took one last look at the empty desk, and something inside me felt just as empty.

It didn't hurt as much as I'd expected.

Lucas had already wired the advance, 200 thousand dollars, and sent someone over with the keys to the apartment.

It was three years of my life.

I had enough left over to afford losing them.

"Charles messaged me out of nowhere. [Dinner after work. Eden Bistro.]"

It was the restaurant I'd been wanting to try for a year.

I had no appetite for it now.

I replied: [No thanks. I have plans.]

A few seconds went by. Charles: [Are you upset because I put you on the spot in front of Nina today? Come to dinner and I'll explain.]"

I hadn't planned to go.

But the second I stepped out of the building, Nina threw her arms around me. "Sophia, come on. Charles is buying dinner!"

It was the middle of the evening rush, and I wasn't going to wrestle with her in front of everybody.

As she pulled me into the car, I heard two employees behind us.

"Oh my god, it's real. Mr. Foster and Nina are definitely a thing. He's even taking the matchmaker to dinner!"

Honestly, they weren't wrong.

I was the matchmaker.

Nina stuck her tongue out, embarrassed. "They've got the wrong idea. Sophia, don't be mad, okay? Should I go explain it to them right now?"

I put my hand over hers to stop her.

"No need."

Every box I owned was already at the apartment with ocean view.

After this dinner, Charles and I would be going our separate ways.