Chapter 4

"Five thousand," I confirmed. "I need it now."

Grant didn't pry. He immediately had his legal team review my employment contract.

Once they confirmed I wasn't bound by an enforceable noncompete, Westbridge wired the $5,000 as an advance against my signing package.

I paid Mom's hospital bill, then contacted my own attorney to gather the company's promissory notes, records of my capital contributions, and shareholder agreements.

Leaving an investment didn't mean I could simply withdraw company funds whenever I wanted. But I intended to recover what was legally mine.

The next morning, I returned to the office with my resignation letter.

Nora assumed Vivian and I were having another marital dispute and urged me to cool off. I insisted that she formally acknowledge receiving my notice.

As we spoke, someone from accounting arrived with an asset-approval form and asked me to sign off for the department.

It was for a new car worth nearly $35,000, registered to the company.

The designated driver was Caleb Pierce.

Yesterday Vivian had claimed the business couldn't spare five thousand dollars. Today she could authorize a new car for an intern?

I was still looking at the form when Caleb walked over, holding the keys to the new car.

"Mr. Lockhart, please don't misunderstand. It's a company car for business development, not a gift. If you think it's inappropriate, I'll return it right now."

He held the keys out to me.

"A company car isn't mine to take back."

I picked up the approval form and went straight to Vivian's office.

The first thing she said when she saw me was, "Good. We have a Halstead meeting at ten. You're coming."

I put the form on her desk.

"You couldn't find five thousand dollars yesterday, but you've approved a thirty-five-thousand-dollar car for an intern?"

"It's a fixed asset," she said. "A legitimate operating expense."

Caleb followed me in, set the keys on her desk, and repeated that he'd gladly give them up.

I didn't argue. Instead, I handed Vivian my resignation.

"I'm not here to fight over a car. I'm officially resigning."

For the first time, her expression changed.

"Over five thousand dollars?"

"No. The five thousand just helped me see things clearly."

I requested final payment of my wages, commissions, and outstanding expense reimbursements. My attorney, I told her, would handle recovery of my personal loan to the company and the sale of my ownership interest.

Vivian pushed the letter back across the desk.

"You're still on vacation. Go home and cool off. We can talk after your leave ends."

She didn't believe I would actually walk away.

I didn't try to convince her. I simply left.

After the door closed, Vivian sat staring at my notice, her brows drawn together.

Caleb spoke quietly.

"Ms. Hart, I really shouldn't use the car. Mr. Lockhart's obviously upset because of me. I'd hate to hurt your marriage."

"This has nothing to do with the car."

She slid the keys back to him. "It's a business decision. We don't change business decisions because someone is emotional."

She was still certain I'd return.

I'd devoted six years to building the company. Nobody knew better than Vivian how much it meant to me. No matter how badly we'd argued before, if a client had a problem, I'd always been the first person there to fix it.

Surely someone like me wouldn't leave over a mere five thousand dollars.

But I didn't return over the following days.

Vivian had her assistant, Jenna Cole, send me project files. I replied once.

"All work has been handed over. Please direct matters relating to my resignation, personal loan, and equity to HR and legal counsel."

She told Jenna to keep forwarding Monday's meeting invitations anyway. In her mind, I was sulking, and she couldn't let my mood disrupt operations.

Without me, however, the cracks in her business team began showing.

Marcus knew the procedures but couldn't manage difficult clients. Leo knew the projects but hesitated to make decisions in real time.

For years, every proposal that reached Vivian's desk had been complete and accurate. Only now was she discovering how much of that work passed through my hands first.

Monday morning came. My vacation had officially ended.

At eight thirty, the lights in my office were still off.

At nine, my chair in the meeting room was empty.

Ten minutes into the Halstead discussion, Marcus gave two incorrect figures in quick succession.

Vivian kept her temper in check and turned to Jenna.

"Call Adrian. Tell him to come in for the meeting."

Before Jenna could dial, Vivian's phone rang. It was Mr. Bennett.

"Vivian, has Adrian left your company?"

She glanced at the vacant chair.

"He's on vacation. Why?"

"Vacation?" Mr. Bennett sounded genuinely puzzled. "He already works at Westbridge. I'm here discussing a project with them, and I saw him leading a meeting as business director yesterday."