Chapter 4 Even My Career Wasn't Mine

When I got home, my phone rang. It was my supervisor.

"Evan, congratulations on the wedding. I just wish you hadn't resigned so suddenly. You were due for a promotion as soon as you came back from your honeymoon."

I froze. "Resigned? I never quit."

There was stunned silence on the other end of the line before he finally spoke. "Your mom came in and handled the resignation paperwork for you. I tried to talk her out of it and even wanted to call you to confirm, but she wouldn't let me. She said you were too busy preparing for the wedding to take any calls."

My hand tightened around the phone as my heart began to pound.

Clinging to the last bit of hope I had left, I asked, "Can it be canceled? I never agreed to resign."

My supervisor fell silent for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Evan. It's too late. Your mom was very insistent and stayed until the entire process was completed."

I could not even remember how the call ended. All I could hear was the ringing in my ears as his words repeated themselves over and over in my head.

I had spent three years preparing for the civil service exam before finally earning that position. For the next five years, I worked harder than anyone around me, barely taking a day off and ranking at the top of my performance reviews year after year.

That job was different from everything else in my life. I had earned it entirely on my own. No one had handed it to me, and no one had helped me get there.

It was mine.

At least, I had thought it was.

…

By the time I came back to my senses, I was already standing in the living room of my parents' house.

I roared, "What gave you the right to quit my job for me?"

My mom remained seated on the couch, completely unfazed by my anger. "Chad is taking the civil service exam next year, and he needs someone to tutor him. Now that you're not working, you'll have plenty of time to help him study."

A chill ran through me, but anger burned in my chest. "I spent three years studying for that exam. I worked there for five years, and I was supposed to be promoted this year."

"Oh, enough." She waved me off impatiently. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You already know how the exam works, so you're the best person to help Chad prepare. If you have more time to tutor him, he'll have a much better chance of passing."

She frowned as though I were the one being unreasonable. "You're his older brother. Is making one small sacrifice for him really that difficult?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

First, it was my parents' love. Then, it was my house and my wedding. Now, even my career was something I was expected to give up for someone else.

Everything I had spent years working for could apparently be taken from me the moment someone else needed it. And I was simply expected to accept it.

Avery walked over and reached for my arm, wearing the same patient expression she always used whenever she wanted to make something enormous sound insignificant.

"It's just a job. It's not the end of the world. Worst case, I can support you."

The way she said it made the offer sound less like love and more like charity.

"My company is planning to expand back here anyway," she continued. "You can stay home, help Davian and me with work, and tutor Chad on the side. Wouldn't that be easier for everyone?"

I looked at her, then at my parents sitting calmly on the couch as though they had done absolutely nothing wrong. Chad barely looked up from his phone.

As I stared at them, something inside me finally became clear.

They had never seen me as a son, a brother, or even a fiance. To them, I was simply someone they could rely on whenever they needed something.

If Davian needed a house, mine became his. If Chad needed help with the exam, my career could be sacrificed. Even my wedding could be handed over without a second thought.

And somehow, every single one of them thought I should simply accept it.

I wiped the tears from my face, but this time, I didn't argue or try to explain myself. There was nothing left to explain.

I simply turned around and walked out.

Behind me, my mom scoffed. "There he goes again. Don't worry. He'll still show up on the wedding day."

I kept walking without looking back.

She was right about one thing: I would attend the wedding day, just not as Davian's groomsman.

…

On the day of the wedding, the hotel was packed with guests.

My mom stood near the entrance to the ballroom, checking her phone again and again as her irritation grew. "Where is Evan? He knows he's supposed to be a groomsman. Why isn't he here yet?"

Chad hurried over in his groomsman suit. "You don't think he's actually going to skip the wedding, do you?"

Avery stood nearby, staring toward the hotel entrance. For reasons she could not explain, a growing sense of unease settled over her.

She pulled out her phone and was about to call me when Chad suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Wait! Isn't that Evan?"

Everyone turned toward the ballroom next door.

A massive wedding welcome sign stood outside the entrance. And there I was in the photograph, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit with one arm wrapped around the woman beside me.

The smile on my face was relaxed and genuine. The way I looked at her held a tenderness none of them had seen from me in years.

The hallway fell silent.

Avery's phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor, but she did not seem to notice.

My mom stared at the photograph in disbelief before blurting out, "Who the hell is Evan marrying?"