Chapter 6

"I already submitted my resignation."

"Huh?" The HR manager froze.

Silence. Then—

"So you..."

Meredith knew the drill—two weeks' notice, clean handoff. She wasn't about to leave a mess.

"I'll head in, get the handover started."

"Okay, okay. I'll wait here."

She hung up and exhaled.

Her apartment? Already sold.

Once this was done, she was out for good.

Her incision still throbbed.

After a short rest, she grabbed a cab to the firm.

The second she walked in, the mood flipped.

"Meredith!"

"You're finally back!"

A few junior assistants rushed over, practically glowing.

The way they lit up—it hit her. They really cared.

"I'm just here to hand things over." She smiled at one of them. "Jessica, you're taking my cases."

"You're actually leaving?" They all glanced at each other, uneasy.

Meredith nodded. "Yeah."

***

The second Grady heard Meredith was back, he burst into Alden's office.

"She's back!"

"Knew she couldn't stay away. Soon as she heard you were firing her, she came running." Grady beamed.

Alden didn't flinch. "You free? Want some of my contingency contracts?"

Grady backed off, hands up. No thanks.

Anything on Alden's desk came with a price. Big risk, big cut—but only if you won.

As he turned to leave—

"Send Meredith in."

Grady smirked. "On it."

Meredith was mid-handover when someone called, "Mr. Gardner."

She looked up—Grady, grinning.

"Alden wants to see you."

She stood.

As they walked, Grady leaned in, voice low.

"Meredith, with a guy like Alden? You gotta be just as ruthless. Don't let him win. He ditched your wedding—because you let him."

Her hand hit the doorknob. "You coming in with me?"

"Nope." Grady backed off fast. "Not that brave. Good luck."

And he was gone.

Meredith took a breath, then pushed the door open.

Alden's office was just as stiff as ever—dark wood, legal books, zero warmth.

He sat behind that massive desk, flipping through papers.

"Mr. Ashford, you asked for me?" Meredith stood straight, voice steady.

Totally normal—at work, he was always Mr. Ashford. First names were personal.

But this time, Alden's pen stopped cold.

He looked up, the faintest crease in his brow.

Gone a week, and she looked... thinner. Her face had lost its usual softness.

In that plain white shirt and black slacks, she looked almost breakable.

"You were sick?" he asked, frowning. "Why'd you lose so much weight?"

It was just a minor surgery, but a week recovering from appendicitis had cost Meredith seven pounds.

"Did you need something, Mr. Ashford?"

She kept it clipped, all business.

Alden's frown deepened.

Hearing her say 'Mr. Ashford'? Felt like a gut punch.

He was showing concern—she didn't even flinch.

Yeah, he screwed up at the wedding, but it was life or death. When did she get so cold?

"You vanish for a week and think I won't fire you?" His voice iced over.

"I've already resigned," Meredith said, calm.

"I didn't approve it."

"Under labor law, you can't legally refuse—"

"Meredith!" he snapped.

Her lashes flicked. She looked away, lips tight.

Silence fell—heavy and sharp.

After a beat, Alden spoke again, tone tighter but controlled.

"There's a meeting this afternoon. You'll come with—"

"I said," Meredith cut in, slow and clear, "I've already resigned."

His face darkened.

"You done throwing your tantrum?"

She was really walking away?

Leaving him?

Since day one, she'd clung to him like a shadow.

Cold words, sharp edges—never fazed her.

He'd turn around, and there she was.

If anyone knew Meredith couldn't live without him—it was him.

Resign?

Not a chance.

"Even your tantrums should have a limit. You really think I'll just let you go?"

"I don't need your permission." Meredith locked eyes with him. "I'll finish handing off my cases and leave. Don't worry—it won't take more than a day."

His expression turned thundercloud dark.

Before he could speak, a knock hit the door.

Grady popped in. "Alden, we need to—"

He didn't finish.

Alden grabbed the nearest folder and launched it.

"Get out!"

Papers flew.

Grady disappeared like a whack-a-mole.

Meredith frowned, just barely.

Alden never blew up like this. Even pissed, he usually just frowned.

Throwing things?

That was new.

She looked away, face calm, voice steady. "As for my shares, just cash them out at market—"

But he was already moving.

Alden stood and closed the distance fast.

Tall, intense—his presence hit hard.

Those eyes, ice-cold.

He spoke slow, each word like a punch.

"You'd better think this through. Once you resign, don't expect to ever come back."