Resign with Grace, Return with Fire

Just because I point out a mistake in the intern, Lester Hale's proposal that can cost the company millions of dollars, he feels embarrassed and goes straight to Sandra Wendell, the CEO, threatening to quit.

The next second, she storms into my office and starts grilling me. Couldn't you have spoken to him privately? Lester's young, and his ego's fragile. Why did you have to humiliate him in front of everyone? Don't forget, his dad's a major shareholder. I'm giving you two options now.

One, I'll promote Lester, give him a raise, and you'll become his assistant. That way, I'll agree to officially announce our relationship. Two, keep acting like this, and we break up."

When I remain silent, she smirks triumphantly. "I knew you'd never pass up a chance to go public with our relationship. Now, you can clear your office for Lester. Later"

But I calmly cut her off, "Sorry, but I choose the second option, and I'm resigning. I wish you and Lester a happily ever after."

Chapter 1

"Fred Sloan, do you even know what you're saying?"

Sandra Wendell stormed over to confront me. This was the first time I'd seen her lose control like this.

I repeated flatly, "I'm resigning. It's over between us."

Without saying another word, I turned back to my desk and began packing my things.

I'd been with Wendell Group since its founding, and I'd spent years in this office. There was a lot to pack.

I placed my thermos, blanket, and other personal items into a box, then started going through the work files.

These were all projects I led, and many of those clients only agreed to work with us because of me. But I couldn't follow through on them anymore.

Sandra watched me like a hawk and said coldly, "Fred, you're 34. You've made it to deputy CEO. That's not an easy achievement. You know how bad the economy is right now. Are you seriously going to throw this all away on a whim?"

Instead of answering, I printed out my resignation letter and signed it.

Sandra's frown deepened.

Just then, Lester Hale, the intern, walked in carrying a cup of coffee. He stole a cautious glance at me and said, "Ms. Wendell, is Fred doing this because of me? Is he resigning to force me out? I won't put you in a tough spot, Ms. Wendell. Fred is a veteran here. I should be the one to go."

His eyes, red around the edges, shone with sadness.

Any hesitation in Sandra's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by nothing but deep annoyance toward me.

"Fred, I've given you an out, but you didn't appreciate it. Do you really think the company can't survive without you?

"Fine. You want to resign? Go ahead. I approve it."

With that, she grabbed the resignation letter, signed it with a sharp motion, and threw it at me.

"You're not an employee here anymore. Take your things and get out."

Her coldness stung.

Sandra and I had met back in college. Coming from a poor background, I spent all my time buried in my books, which often made me a target for my coursemates' ridicule.

Sandra was the one who had always stepped in to defend me, ate lunch with me, and even pursued me.

For four years, she was nothing but kind to me. After graduation, we established Wendell Group together and faced the toughest times side by side.

We had promised each other that we would get married once the company was stable.

But everything changed when Lester's father became a major shareholder and made him an intern.

Lester was lazy and often made mistakes. When I pointed them out, Sandra would warn me not to pick on the newcomer.

I stood my ground, always putting Wendell Group's interests first, yet she repeatedly humiliated me just to protect him.

Now, simply because I called him out in a meeting, she was using our relationship to push me out.

Chapter 2

I should've let go a long time ago.

As soon as I stepped out of the company, it started drizzling. And of course, I'd forgotten my umbrella.

As the rain hit my skin, the cold seeped straight through.

I thought about taking a cab, but when I checked my bank balance and wallet, I found that I only had 50 cents left. I couldn't even afford a ride.

Over the years, I had handed over my entire salary for Sandra to manage because she said we'd have plenty of expenses after we married.

To ensure that I wouldn't spend recklessly, she had me run every small purchase by her.

But when it came to Lester, she was always generous. Just last week, she bought him a three-million-dollar sports car.

The difference between being loved and not being loved couldn't be more obvious.

I smiled bitterly and walked home in the rain.

I finally got to the house Sandra and I shared. I was just about to change out of my shoes when I saw her in the kitchen. She was standing behind Lester, tying his apron, her expression tender.

"Ms. Wendell, just stand there. I promise I'll cook something that's perfectly to your taste," Lester said.

"Really? I'm pretty picky, you know," Sandra replied playfully.

The two of them flirted as if no one else was in the room. Their interactions were warm and harmonious.

Then, Sandra noticed me standing by the door. The smile faded from her face, and she coldly said, "Lester, just make enough for the two of us. After all, someone's got too much pride today. I'm sure he wouldn't want to eat here."

I knew what she was implying, but I didn't respond. I just bent down to change my shoes.

Frowning, Sandra raised her chin and shot me a glance. "Fred, since you're back, I assume that you've realized your mistake. Why are you just standing there? Apologize to Lester and make it right. I'll let this morning's incident slide then. I'll also keep your position in the company."

She was so focused on Lester that she didn't even notice how soaked I was, let alone care if I'd catch a cold.

Seeing her act so high and mighty, I felt nothing but a bitter chill. No matter how good we once were together, it was over between us.

Without uttering a single word, I walked past her and toward the balcony to gather the laundry.

Sandra, stung by my cold shoulder, was about to speak when Lester deliberately bumped into me with a bowl of soup.

He let out a theatrical cry of pain and flung himself to the floor, soaking himself in the spilled soup.

He yelled, "Ah! It's so hot! Fred, even if you're mad at me, you don't need to go this far!"

He lay there, clutching his burned hand.

This was Lester's go-to move for driving a wedge between Sandra and me. At the office, he would pretend to work late just to claim that I was mistreating him, or he would splash water on himself and tell Sandra that I'd lashed out at him.

I used to ignore it, but not this time.

If he wanted to play the victim, I'd give him a taste of his own medicine.

I grabbed a plate from the table. Before Lester could even stand up, I dumped the stir-fried dish right on top of him.

Greasy sauce dripped from his hair. Lester screamed, and his eyes brimmed with tears.

Sandra rushed over and pushed me aside before roaring, "Fred, are you crazy? Why are you always picking on Lester? You've really disappointed me."

I smirked. "Disappointed, huh? Well, that's great. Let's stay out of each other's lives forever."

Sandra's face turned bright red with fury, and she couldn't say anything for a long time. Meanwhile, Lester was still moaning, so she had no choice but to bring him to the hospital.

As the door slammed shut behind them, the house finally grew quiet.

I let out a sigh, and it felt like a weight lifted off my chest.

Sandra and I were really over.

At that thought, I pulled out my phone and dialed the HR department at Skyborne Group, the top company in the field.

Chapter 3

"I'm accepting your offer," I said.

Over the years, many top companies had tried to poach me because of my outstanding work.

Skyborne Group was one of them. They had made me offers before, with salaries and benefits three times what I was making.

But I turned them all down, focusing only on Sandra. I gave everything to Wendell Group and worked tirelessly for her.

In the end, I was thrown aside like a tool, left with absolutely nothing.

Now, it was time for me to think about my future.

When I said that, the HR representative on the phone sounded genuinely happy. "Mr. Sloan, I'm so glad that you've made up your mind! Could you come in tomorrow to finalize your employment?"

"No problem," I replied.

After hanging up, I started packing my things, ready to leave and sever ties with Sandra once and for all.

As I gathered my documents, I noticed the figurine I had made for Sandra in a corner.

It was my birthday gift to her. Each careful cut was a reflection of how much I cared for and loved her.

I remembered how happy she'd been when she had first received it. She had smiled and said that it was the most meaningful birthday gift she'd ever gotten.

When she had seen the countless small nicks and cuts on my hands, she had rushed to get the first-aid kit. As she cleaned my wounds, she promised that she would treasure that gift forever.

But now, the figurine was just gathering dust in a corner. The wooden box I'd bought for it was filled with photos of her and Lester.

The stack of photos was thick, spanning spring through winter. The backgrounds shifted with the seasons, but the two people in them never changed.

Just like our relationship, once Lester came into the picture, there was no room left for me in Sandra's heart.

I should've known better. Trying to salvage a relationship with someone who had already moved on was a losing battle.

At that thought, I threw the dusty figurine into the trash. The gift was just like mediscarded.

After that, I went back to packing my things. There wasn't much to pack, so it didn't take me long.

It was almost laughable. I had lived in this house for six years, yet my belongings couldn't even fill a small suitcase.

Still, once everything was packed, the house felt emptier.

I grabbed the suitcase and took a cab back to my old apartment. This was the place I'd bought before living with Sandra.

But later, to make it easier to look after Sandra, I moved in with her. This apartment had been sitting vacant ever since. I hardly spent any time living here after the renovations.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the minimalist decor I'd always loved.

Before, I'd had to adjust to Sandra's preferences, so our shared home was decorated according to her tastes, and the furniture was arranged as she liked.

Now, I didn't have to compromise anymore. I could live however I wanted. I could put up whatever wallpaper I wanted and decorate however I pleased.

After settling in, I was about to call a cleaning service when Sandra's name popped up on my phone.

I expected her to be angry, but to my surprise, her tone was unusually soft. "Give it a rest, Fred. Lester is being generous by forgiving you after what you did to him.

"Stay home and rest this afternoon. Tomorrow, you'll be Lester's assistant and help him with the projects. In three days, we'll register our marriage and have the wedding. That should finally be enough to make you happy, right?"

Listening to the conditions for her to marry me, all I could feel was a sharp, bitter sense of irony.

Chapter 4

Over the years, I'd wished more than once that Sandra and I could move forward with the wedding, but she would always find an excuse to delay it.

At Wendell Group, she kept her distance from me to avoid gossip. She wouldn't even let me call her "Sandy" in public or ride with her to and from work.

I didn't want to put her in a difficult position, so I kept our relationship a secret for six long years.

Every day, without fail, I woke up early and rushed to catch the subway to work.

I thought that if I kept at it, Sandra would one day come around and agree to marry me.

Now, she had finally agreed, but it was for another man.

I let out a bitter smile. Just as I was about to speak, Lester's voice came through the phone, dripping with feigned victimhood.

"Forget it, Ms. Wendell. If Fred becomes my assistant, he'll just make things harder for me. I I'm scared. I'm no match for him. I'm just too stupid"

"Lester, don't worry. With me there, Fred won't bully you anymore." Sandra immediately reassured him in a tone so gentle that it felt like he was her boyfriend.

I felt disgust twist in my stomach and interrupted her, "You want me to be his assistant? Is he even qualified? If you think Lester is so great, why even bother with an assistant? He can handle the project on his own, right?"

Sandra paused for a moment, then raised her voice in fury, "Fred, are you serious? I've agreed to marry you. What more do you want? You had your chance. Don't regret it!"

She hung up after saying that.

I shrugged off her little tantrum and continued looking for a cleaning service for my apartment.

Once my place was tidied up, I lay on the couch scrolling through my news feed when Lester's video call suddenly popped up.

I answered it, and there he was, lounging in Sandra's office chair with his legs crossed in a smug pose, taking in the surroundings.

"Fred, Ms. Wendell had me come to her office to work overtime. She even went to get me water herself. Did you ever receive this kind of treatment?"

Sandra was a germaphobe, especially when it came to her office. She had once fired an employee on the spot for entering her office to deliver a document.

Not even I was allowed to go in without permission.

Apparently, Lester was the exception.

When I didn't respond, Lester gloated, "Ms. Wendell has handed over all your projects to me. She's made me deputy CEO, taking your place. It looks like you're really abandoned."

I scoffed. "Is that so? Well, you'd better do a good job. Try to bankrupt Wendell Group as soon as possible."

"Fred, you son of a"

Lester was just about to lash out when I suddenly heard a door open in the background.

The video call was immediately cut off.

I simply shook my head at the irony of it all. If Sandra really trusted Lester to handle all the projects, it was truly over.

The next morning, I went to Skyborne Group to finalize the employment details and agreed to join as soon as possible.

On my way back, I heard a familiar voice.

"Ms. Wendell, it looks like they're holding some kind of event over there. It seems fun. Should we go check it out?"

I turned to see Sandra and Lester standing there.

A couple's kissing contest was being held on the street, with a microwave as the prize for the winners.

Lester was clearly excited. He grabbed Sandra's arm, swaying her back and forth. "Ms. Wendell, let's enter."

I instinctively thought that Sandra would refuse. After all, she hated these kinds of events.

But to my surprise, she smiled indulgently at Lester and said, "Alright, if you say so."

Chapter 5

Sandra and Lester held hands and stepped onto the stage to sign up.

When the host blew the whistle to start, Sandra reached up and wrapped her arms around Lester's neck while gazing at him tenderly.

The crowd, ever eager for drama, began to chant, "Kiss him! Kiss him!"

Sandra summoned her courage and gave Lester a peck on his lips before quickly pulling away, smiling shyly. Her face turned crimson.

At once, the excitement soared, and everyone started shipping them as a couple.

"Are they just starting to date? The air around them reeks of love! How sweet!"

"They're such a perfect match. Seeing other people so happy really brings tears to my eyes! You two have to stay together forever!"

I curled my lips in a self-deprecating smile.

I suddenly remembered how, not long ago, I'd suggested we take a cute couple's photo. Sandra dismissed the idea as childish, reminding me we weren't young anymore and didn't need such juvenile displays.

But now, she was willing to kiss Lester in front of everyone.

It turned out that she only found me childish because I wasn't worth it.

I was too tired to watch them flirting any longer, so I turned to leave. But just as I was about to walk away, I locked eyes with Sandra.

The moment she met my gaze, her body froze. Instantly, she pulled away from Lester.

Sandra opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Lester beat her to it. "Fred, what a coincidence! What are you doing here? You didn't follow us, did you?"

At his words, Sandra's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Fred, were you following me?"

I replied casually, "I'm just out for some business and happened to pass by."

Frowning, she said coldly, "You've quit your job. What business could you possibly have? You're a grown man, Fred. Is there any point in lying like this? Besides, who told you to follow me? You're invading my privacy!

"Fred, I never thought you lacked even the most basic trust in me. If you can't trust me, how am I supposed to trust you enough to marry you?"

In Sandra's eyes, my life had always revolved around her and Wendell Group. She'd always thought that she was the one supporting me.

If she had cared, even just a little, she would have realized that I was better than she believedand that I had sacrificed a promising future for her.

I glanced at Sandra indifferently and said, "Go ahead and marry Lester. You've kissed him already, so it only makes sense, right?"

Sandra's face turned bright red, and she was rendered speechless.

Full of smug satisfaction, Lester chimed in to stir the pot, "Fred, don't get the wrong idea. I just wanted the prize so badly. Ms. Wendell was just being kind to help me. Please don't take it the wrong way."

I knew that Lester was just trying to provoke me. If this had been before, I'd have been furious, demanding an explanation from Sandra.

Now, I merely looked at them coldly and sneered. "I'm done with Sandra. Don't worry. Even if you two were to sleep together right here, I wouldn't care."

Lester seemed surprised that I wasn't reacting.

Sandra's expression darkened even further. "Fred, I've explained myself to you. What's all this sarcasm for?"

I ignored her and walked past, leaving without a second glance.

By the time I got home, my phone was buzzing with messages from Sandra, one after another.

"Fred, why did you move out?

"Throwing a tantrum is one thing, but this is too much!"

She only noticed I had moved out that day, when I'd already left yesterday. That alone proved how little she cared.

Chapter 6

I didn't reply. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a string of notifications that I'd been removed from the family plan across several platforms.

Sandra and I used to be so close that everything we had was linked under a family plan.

Even after our fights, Sandra would never remove me from the plans.

But now, she had unilaterally removed me. I didn't need to guess how angry she was.

Honestly, it no longer mattered to me.

For the next two days, I immersed myself in my new job, and Sandra didn't reach out to me.

Instead, she posted updates about spending time with Lester. She also changed her profile picture from our matching one to black and altered our matching username. She even removed our photo from her social media header.

I knew that she was waiting for me to make the first move and apologize, but I didn't care anymore.

It wasn't until the evening of the third day that I came home to find a cardboard box at my door. On top of it was written "To Fred".

I took it inside and opened it, only to find a collection of mementos from my time with Sandra.

There were letters from when she first confessed her feelings, the couple's headbands she had bought for us, photos from our trips together, and even the lipstick-stained page commemorating our first kiss.

As I looked at these things, memories from the past slowly returned to me.

Nevertheless, it didn't matter. Sandra and I were over.

I tossed everything into the fire pit and set it ablaze, turning the physical remnants of our memories into ash.

As I watched the flames flicker, I felt a strange calm wash over me.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Sandra rushed in, wide-eyed with shock.

Ignoring the searing heat, she lunged forward and snatched the burning photos with her bare hands. She beat at them frantically to smother the flames.

Anxious, she demanded, "Why are you burning these things?"

Sandra finally managed to put out the flames, but her hands were blistered from the heat.

Her eyes filled with tears as she glared at me. "Fred, do you remember what these things meant to us? How could you burn them? I sent them to you because I thought"

Sandra knew I was sentimental. She had sent me these mementos to make me remember the good times, hoping that I would forgive her for the past.

It was her way of giving me an outproud, yet subtle.

If this had been before, I would have taken the easy way out, compromised, and chosen to forgive her.

But I was tired of chasing after her forgiveness.

This time, I didn't want to make things right. I wasn't going to play her game anymore.

Without looking at her, I calmly responded, "Didn't you send these to me to get rid of? They're useless now anyway. I might as well burn them."

Sandra stared at me in disbelief, clearly taken aback by my calm response.

After a long pause, she sighed in resignation and said, "Fred, okay, fine. I admit that when you pointed out Lester's issues at the company, you were doing it for the greater good. I made you apologize because Lester is Mr. Hale's son.

"I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry, okay? Look, you can come back and be deputy CEO again. You'll be on the same level as Lester. Just try to stay out of his way from now on. Will that fix this?"

I looked at Sandra without saying a word, but inside, I couldn't help but find this situation hilarious.

It wasn't just about work. Even outside the office, she was always taking Lester's side.

I remembered the time I'd been bedridden with a terrible flu and needed her care. Instead of helping me, she abandoned me to care for Lester.

And on our anniversary, she bought all the fireworks in the city just to fulfill Lester's request to see them. Meanwhile, I sat alone at home, staring at cold plates of food until morning came.

Chapter 7

It seemed that Sandra had told her own lies so often that she'd started believing them herself.

I didn't bother to call out her contradictions.

When I remained silent, she went on, "But there's one condition. Before you come back to Wendell Group, you have to apologize to Lester. After all, you did lay hands on him last time. If he forgives you, then you can come back."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. "Sandra, you're way too full of yourself. Since when did I say that I wanted to go back? You want me to apologize to Lester? Honestly, he doesn't even deserve it."

Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment, but she quickly remembered why she was here. She pulled a wedding invitation out of her bag.

Both our names were printed clearly on the card.

I looked at it, confused, wondering what she was up to this time.

Sandra sighed and said in a resigned tone, "Fred, just stop this already. Look, this is our wedding invitation. I've already booked the venue and invited all the guests.

"I'm a woman of my word. We'll have the wedding in three days and take our relationship public. This should be enough to calm you down, right?"

After all these years, she'd had plenty of chances to marry me and make things official. However, she only brought it up after I'd given up on her.

At this point, I just didn't care anymore.

Before I could refuse, she shoved the invitation into my hand. "Prepare yourself. I'll come get you in three days."

Then, she turned and walked away.

But she didn't know she was courting disappointment; I was beginning my new job in three days.

This time, I wasn't going to give up my future for Sandra.

No sooner had she left than Lester texted me. "Fred, I heard that Sandra wants to marry you. Don't get cocky! As long as I'm around, that wedding won't happen! Don't believe me? Just try!"

I quickly understood what he meant.

Three days later, I was dressed in a suit, about to head to Skyborne Group for my first day.

When I opened the door, I ran into Sandra. She was dressed to the nines with flawless makeup. She had clearly spent a lot of effort on that day's wedding.

Noticing my suit, she assumed that I was dressed for the wedding and nodded in approval. "Since you're ready, let's go. The guests are already waiting for us at the venue."

After saying that, she reached out to take my hand.

I pulled my hand back in disgust and pulled a sanitizing wipe from my pocket to scrub my hands repeatedly.

Sandra's face darkened. "Fred, what's that supposed to mean? Do you think I'm dirty?"

I replied plainly, "I'm just a bit of a germaphobe."

The mood turned awkward. Just then, her phone rang.

Whatever the person on the other end of the line said made her expression fall instantly, and then she turned to me, looking torn.

"Fred, Lester accidentally fell down the stairs. It sounds pretty serious. I have to take him to the hospital, so I probably can't take you to the wedding."

Of course, it was Lester again.

Whenever it came down to a choice between Lester and me, Sandra would always choose him.

But this time, I didn't feel hurt at all. Instead, I thought that Lester's call arrived just in time.

After all, I was expected at Skyborne Group for my first day at 10:00 am. It was already 9:30 am. If I didn't leave now, I'd be late.

I looked at Sandra calmly and urged, "What are you waiting for? Get Lester to the hospital. His life is on the line."

Chapter 8

Upon hearing my words, Sandra looked at me in shock.

In the past, I would have thrown a fit over this. But now, instead of arguing, I calmly told her to take care of Lester instead.

She stared at me for a moment, but with no time to think it through, she said, "Take a cab to the wedding venue first. Once I'm done with Lester, I'll come find you right away."

With that, Sandra hurried off.

This time, I didn't stand there waiting for her like I used to. After she left, I took a cab straight to Skyborne Group.

My phone kept buzzing nonstop along the way. Every notification was another goading message from Lester.

In the photos he sent, Sandra was gently tucking him into bed. She had even spent a fortune calling in every top specialist at the hospital just to treat a scratch on his leg no bigger than a fingernail.

"Fred, do you know how worried Sandra is about me? She gathered the entire hospital's experts just for me. Has she ever done this for you?

"So what if you were with her for so many years? You ultimately lost to me.

"I'm the most important person to Sandra. With just one word from me, she'd even abandon your wedding."

This wasn't the first time Lester had tried to provoke me.

In the past, I would have had a complete emotional meltdown. Now, I was just bored. I locked my phone and ignored him.

When I arrived at Skyborne Group, the HR representative led me to my workstation. I had just sat down when Sandra called.

The moment I picked up, her angry voice exploded through the phone. "Fred Sloan! The officiant just called me. He said that you didn't show up either! What are you trying to pull? You said you'd be there. How could you go back on your word?

"Is this because I took Lester to the hospital? Didn't you say that you didn't care? I really thought you'd grown up. Turns out you were just pretending. Fred, you haven't changed at all."

Faced with her accusations, my tone remained unexpectedly calm. "Sandra, I never agreed to attend the wedding. And besides, we've already broken up. There's no reason for us to get married."

Sandra never expected me to refuse to marry her. After all, I used to want that wedding more than anything. Even my birthday wishes were about marrying her.

More importantly, she was sure that I couldn't live without her.

In her eyes, we were never equals. She was the CEO, and I was just a man living off her. Without her, she believed that I'd be nothing.

After a brief silence, Sandra coldly said, "Fred, all the guests are there. If you don't show up, what will our friends and family think of me? Go to the wedding venue and explain everything now. It's an order! Otherwise, we're done for good!"

A second later, Lester's voice chimed in, "Fred, this is a momentous occasion. Don't throw a tantrum now. How can there be a wedding without the groom? You're just embarrassing Ms. Wendell.

"Ms. Wendell, don't worry about me. I'll be fine on my own. Your wedding matters more"

Hearing Lester start his act again, I cut in coldly, "If you're so worried, why don't you be the groom instead? Honestly, you two look far more like a couple than we ever did."

Sandra flew into a rage. "Fred, do you even know what you're saying? You"

I hung up before she could finish her sentence.

Chapter 9

After that, I heard from mutual friends that since neither the bride nor the groom showed up, Sandra was forced to cancel the wedding. She had to apologize to the guests again and again.

The incident ruined her reputation. She became the fodder for gossip among friends and relatives.

Fortunately, I'd already told my side of the story to my friends. The wedding was filled with her friends and family, so she was the only one left looking like a fool. I wasn't affected at all.

From that day on, Sandra held a deep grudge against me. She called and texted nonstop, blaming me for everything.

"Fred, this is all your fault. I can't even show my face anymore because of you!

"Do you know what my relatives said about me? They said I'm a discarded woman!

"You've really crossed the line this time. If you don't show some sincerity, I will never forgive you!"

By "sincerity", she meant the multimillion-dollar deals I used to bring in for Wendell Group and the surprises I would prepare for her.

Back then, we fought often. Every time she got angry, I would secure a deal worth tens of millions of dollars to calm her down. I would also go out of my way to find people who could get her custom jewelry and limited-edition items she liked, all to make her happy.

So this time, Sandra instinctively assumed I would do the same again.

Thinking back now, I really had been pouring my heart into someone who didn't deserve it. I had been completely blinded by love. It was pathetic.

I didn't reply and left her hanging.

Instead of stopping, Sandra escalated and bombarded me with messages.

"Fred, why aren't you replying? Don't leave me on read!

"I know you saw my messages. Stop playing dead and say something!

"Say something!"

Yet, she used to ignore me all the time. Whenever I expressed my frustration, she'd just dismiss it as me making a scene or acting crazy.

So why was it unacceptable when I treated her the same way she had once treated me?

It turned out that she only felt pain when she experienced it herself.

Annoyed, I blocked and deleted her contact outright.

In a fit of rage, Sandra went as far as blacklisting me in the industry, trying to end my career completely.

I didn't care at all. She didn't know that I had already found a new job.

I thought that we would never see each other again after that. But life rarely went the way one hoped.

That day, after clocking in at work, I walked into the company and saw Sandra and Lester chatting and laughing as they approached from a distance.

"Lester, make sure you perform well in this meeting. If you close this deal, I'll arrange a promotion for you afterward," Sandra said.

"Ms. Wendell, you're so good to me," Lester replied sweetly.

As they chatted, Sandra noticed me. Her expression instantly turned cold. "Fred, what are you doing here?"

Lester glanced at me, half-smiling. His tone dripped with mockery as he said, "Ms. Wendell, isn't it obvious? Fred must be too embarrassed to beg you at the office, so he came all the way here to wait for you to get his job back."

Sandra immediately put two and two together. Her expression remained cold, but it softened just a fraction. She snorted. "What, you couldn't find a job? Regretting it after hitting walls everywhere, so you followed me here?

"Fred, I gave you a way out before, and you refused it. You even blocked and deleted my number. Now you're coming back to pester me? You're really getting more and more ridiculous.

"Actually, I could allow you to come back, but you'll have to start as an intern, and you need to apologize to Lester first. Otherwise, don't even think about it."

Sandra tilted her chin up, regaining that arrogant air of a CEO.

Chapter 10

Lester looked at me with undisguised smugness, yet he still forced himself to put on a magnanimous act. He said, "It's okay, really. I'll be fine as long as Fred doesn't make things difficult for me at work. We're colleagues, after all. Let's just work together in peace."

Sandra looked at Lester with clear approval. "Lester, you're just too kind. People take advantage of the kindhearted. If you keep being like this, you'll suffer for it."

Then, she turned her cold gaze on me. "Fred, Lester is only letting this go because he's kind, but you still have to apologize. You poured that dish over his head before. His face still hurts even now. Getting physical is where I draw the line."

I glanced at Lester's unblemished face and found it laughable. Sandra really was capable of lying with a straight face.

She had once protected me the same way.

Now, she was still spreading her arms like a mother hen to offer protection. Only this time, the one she was shielding was Lester.

Seeing that I still hadn't moved, Sandra swept a cold glance over me and asked sternly, "What are you standing there for? Come over and apologize. Do you even want your job back?"

Watching the two of them go back and forth rendered me utterly speechless.

"Who said I was going to apologize? And I have no intention of going back to Wendell Group. Could you please get out of my way?"

"Fred, enough already!" Sandra snapped. "I'm already showing mercy by letting you come back, and you're still not satisfied?"

She looked at me with disappointment written all over her face.

Meanwhile, Lester wore an expression as though he had seen through me and said smugly, "Oh, I get it. Fred must feel upset because I took over his projects and position.

"But Ms. Wendell, Fred walked away from the job. Someone had to do the work. I didn't expect him to be this petty. If that's the case, maybe I should give the position back to him. After all, he's more suitable than I"

Before Lester could finish speaking, Sandra cut him off decisively. "Lester, there's no need to belittle yourself. You deserve this position."

As she spoke, the disgust in her eyes when she looked at me deepened, as if I would be pushing my luck if I didn't take the hint and back down.

But I was genuinely speechless.

With Lester's level of ability, where did this confidence come from? Was Sandra really not afraid that he would mess things up?

Then again, I had already resigned and broken up with Sandra. None of this had anything to do with me anymore.

When that day finally came, I only hoped that she would still be able to smile.

I shook my head, said nothing, and turned to leave.

"Fred, I'm talking to you! Are you pretending to be deaf? Stop right there"

Just as Sandra was about to lash out, her phone suddenly rang. She hurriedly answered it.

She didn't put the call on speaker, but I clearly heard the flustered voice of her assistant, Liam Pittman, on the other end. "Ms. Wendell, this is bad, really bad. The proposal we submitted yesterday had a major flaw. It caused massive losses for the client, and now, they're preparing to sue us!"

Sandra's expression turned ice-cold. "What? Who's in charge of that project?"

There was a brief pause on the line before Liam answered shakily, "It's Lester."