Chapter 8: The Last Goodbye

I handed in my resignation.

Of course, this didn’t mean I was giving in to Grant Chandler—I just didn’t want to waste my time here.

But he clearly didn’t see it that way.

Grant Chandler held my resignation form, his face almost gleeful. But he still put on a show:

“You’ve contributed all these years—I’ve seen it. But the company also gave you a great platform. After your two-year non-compete, with this resume, you’ll be in demand.”

“When you joined, you were just a fresh grad. It was lucky I took a chance on you. If it were now, I’d think twice about even hiring you as an intern.”

I replied coldly, “Then thank you for the company’s training all these years. But maybe what you trained is your future competitor.”

Grant Chandler just shook his head and smiled. “You’ve worked seven years, but you’re still young and impulsive. Don’t say things like that in the future—people will laugh.”

He signed his name heavily on the resignation form and tossed it to me.

“No need for handover. I’ll have people watch you pack. You know what you can and can’t take. When you’re done, just leave.”

I picked up the form from the floor and left the CEO’s office.

Grant Chandler sent members of the operations department to monitor me as I packed. They watched me like I was a thief. All files, my badge, work phone, office supplies, everything—I handed it all over, and they checked and signed off on each item.

As I was leaving, the operations assistant, Megan, whom I’d personally trained, spoke up: “Manager Derek, may I check your handbag?”

I looked at her, feeling like I’d swallowed a fly.

She’d joined while secretly pregnant, and after maternity leave, the company wanted to fire her for dishonesty. She’d cried and begged to keep her job, and I’d suggested the company give her a chance.

But today, she was all business, snapping my bag open with practiced hands. I remembered the day she told me about her pregnancy, voice shaking, terrified she’d be let go. Now she didn’t even look at me.

Still, I smiled and handed it to her. “Go ahead, check everything at once.”

She gave a fake smile. “Sorry, please don’t mind—it’s just procedure.”

She checked all the pockets, found nothing, and handed it back. “Manager Derek, goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” I replied with a smile.

Heh. If we meet again, it might be as rivals.

I tossed the badge on the security desk, took a last look at the bland, fluorescent-lit lobby, and walked out into the cool afternoon air, free at last. For the first time in years, I didn’t have a deadline. Just the sound of my own footsteps and the city breathing around me.