Chapter 2

I was stunned; I never expected Luciano Washington to penalize me so harshly over Genesis Brooks.

In the past, to appease Luciano, I would swallow my pride and work late. But this time, I resolutely pulled out my phone.

"Camilo, you're infringing on my personal freedom by not letting me go."

"Thanksgiving is a legal holiday, and Luciano is violating that. If you keep blocking my way, believe me, I'll call the police!"

Faced with my ultimatum, the security guard relented and stepped aside.

As I headed out, midway across the parking lot, the heel of my high-heeled shoe snapped, causing me to trip and fall.

Just then, my phone buzzed—Genesis had updated her status on Facebook. The photo showed her and Luciano at a jewelry store, where he had bought her a slew of gold jewelry to lift her spirits.

The caption read: "I simply mentioned I liked it, and Mr. CEO bought it for me. How thoughtful!"

I bit my lip and stared at the scrape on my knee, feeling only bitterness. Once, I asked Luciano for a new pair of shoes because mine were worn out. He refused, accusing me of being extravagant and reminding me to appreciate how hard he worked for his money.

Since then, I never asked for anything new. I scrimped wherever I could, ordered cheap takeout, and wore socks with patched holes. Yet, to bring a smile to Genesis's face, Luciano bought her a cabinet full of gold without hesitation.

Suddenly, my past efforts to save felt utterly absurd.

Just as I was about to turn off my phone, Stephen Dunn called for the 28th time, inviting me to join his research project abroad. Stephen had often called my decision to stay and start a business with Luciano unwise and had offered me opportunities abroad to lure me away.

I had declined each time. But now, I accepted eagerly.

"Stephen, I'm in."

Stephen replied with a triumphant "Great!" and instructed me to arrange the visa with a flexible schedule.

After hanging up, I drove to the visa application center. Upon learning that my visa was for emigration, the staff informed me:

"Ms. Arnold, it seems you're still employed at Luciano's company. To emigrate, you need to resign first. We can't proceed with your application otherwise."

I took out the resignation letter I had prepared in advance.

"I've resigned. Here is the resignation letter with Luciano's signature."

I had written this letter two days before Thanksgiving, and when Luciano signed it, he didn’t even glance at it, which surprised me. Previously, he had always been meticulous, demanding detailed expense reports down to every cent, ensuring I couldn't pocket anything.

I thought Luciano had finally let his guard down, and I was pleased, until I saw Genesis waiting at the door, and I realized he was busy heading out to meet her.

...

The staff shook their head, saying the resignation letter wasn't enough; I needed proof of an online resignation approval.

With no choice, I submitted the online resignation request and called Luciano, requesting his approval.

Luciano answered angrily.

"Matilda, Camilo told me you left the company? I said I'd come back and take you on a country getaway. What more do you want?"

"With business booming over Thanksgiving, should we really put the entire company on hold for your personal issues?"

"I order you to return and work overtime, or you can expect to be terminated!"

Knowing how much I valued my position at the company, Luciano often used work as a means to control me. This time, I replied calmly:

"No need; I've already resigned."

"I sent the online request to you earlier, you..."

Before I could finish, Luciano interrupted sharply.

"Resigned? You've lost your mind!"

Following his outburst was Genesis's overly dramatic voice.

"Luciano, Matilda's likely just upset about the live-stream incident and is trying to provoke me by resigning."

"It's all my fault. I'll resign and apologize to Matilda. Please don't fight because of me..."

Luciano soothed Genesis gently, but his tone turned icy when he addressed me again.

"Matilda, you're upset because I rewarded Genesis?"

"Since Genesis joined, her sales have consistently been top-notch; she's a model employee. If I don’t reward her, how do I motivate other staff? How do I ensure the company’s growth?"

"Why can't you see my good intentions?"

I scoffed internally. A model employee, indeed! Genesis's success was built entirely at my expense. Luciano claimed newcomers needed encouragement, using that excuse to take my projects and hand them to Genesis.

Without me, Genesis couldn't even handle basic tasks like printing documents.

Snapping back to the present, Luciano seemed to have reconsidered and softened his tone:

"Matilda, it’s all for the company. Prioritize work now; we'll make up for the missed trip later, alright?"

Luciano was trying to sell me empty promises, exploiting my labor for free. Did he really think I didn’t know that the files he circulated were all Genesis's incomplete work?

As I was about to decline, Luciano had already disconnected the call.

I decided to call him back to push for the application’s approval, but a notification popped up—my resignation had been approved.

Apparently, Luciano had accepted it without even looking.

With all the paperwork complete, the staff processed my visa, advising me to pick it up in five days.

I agreed with a simple "Alright," then booked a flight for five days later and informed Stephen.

Five days later, as Thanksgiving came to a close, I'd have my visa in hand and be set to leave for abroad, leaving Luciano behind for good.