Chapter 2

The next day, I drafted my resignation to submit to the company. When I stepped into the office, I heard everyone gossiping.

"Did you hear about it? Ms. Livingston has approved Ryan to take on the role of department manager!"

"How does an assistant become a manager so easily? What sort of connections does he have?"

"What else is there? It's obvious that he's Ms. Livingston's boyfriend!"

An employee said in a hushed tone, "Did you know? Once I entered Ms. Livingston's office, I saw Ryan pick up her cup and drink from it!"

"Seriously? I thought Ms. Livingston was anal about sharing food and drinks."

While they gossiped enthusiastically, I gulped down the water from my cup, feeling bitterness in my throat.

The last time I used her cup by accident, she went off on me, reprimanding me for making such an amateur mistake. After that, she prepared disposable cups right away for her office to prevent me from 'crossing the line' again.

"Hunter, I need to treat you the same as everyone else to prevent our careers from being compromised."

However, she only did that to me. As for the career she was talking about…

"Mr. Silverman, are you sure you want to resign?"

The HR employee looked at me, feeling it would be a shame if I left now. "I heard that headquarters is planning a mass promotion again this year. Maybe you should wait a little longer…"

"It's fine." I looked at her and shook my head. "I've been waiting for four years."

She paused for a moment and sighed in the end. "You're right. Everyone knows how hard you've worked over the years, but for some reason…"

There was only one reason.

No matter how hard I worked, even to the point of getting hospitalized over the past four years, I was always just a low-level supervisor with no real power because Erica always said that people would gossip if she promoted me.

"We'll talk about your promotion at the next suitable opportunity."

However, I refused to wait any longer. I would fight for my own opportunity now.

After submitting my resignation, Erica quickly came to confront me. For once, she called me to her office alone, but it was to question me right away. "Why did you resign? Is it because I promoted Ryan instead of you, and you went off the deep end? Hunter, your little tantrum is just making things difficult for me—"

"That's why I'm leaving," I looked up and interrupted her. "Just like what I did last night. If I disappear, you won't ever have to worry about me again. Isn't that better?"

Erica was taken aback, and she looked away. "I knew you were still upset about yesterday," she said in frustration, with her hand behind her back. "Is this your way of trying to make me go public with our relationship?"

Exasperation washed over me as I stared at her in disbelief. I was just about to say something when I was interrupted by someone. "Ms. Livingston, it's raining heavily out there, and I don't have an umbrella with me…"

Ryan pushed the door open right away and entered the room.

"Take my car."

Erica stood up right away and grabbed her car keys to throw them at him without hesitation. That was when bursts of laughter were heard coming from behind Ryan.

"Who lost the bet? Those who bet that Ms. Livingston would let Ryan borrow her umbrella have to buy dinner for all of us!"

"An umbrella is nothing! Ms. Livingston would be sure to loan her car to him."

They started laughing and teasing, but Erica did not even bother to explain anything to them.

This reminded me of one rainy day long ago when Erica refused to loan me an umbrella, much less let me take her car. "I'm your boss; you're my employee. Loaning you an umbrella is too much of an intimate act."

She threw a disposable rain coat to me that was thinner than paper, and I had to brave the stormy weather to get home on my own when I was running a high fever.

"How about going home together in the car, Mr. Silverman?" Ryan suddenly leaned close to me and asked. "You weren't there for my birthday celebration, so let me buy you a meal this time."

Whispers about how I had a weird temper could be heard coming from the other colleagues. I turned to look at Erica, who looked hesitant but did not say anything. I smiled and replied, "It's fine. I'm meeting someone tonight."