Chapter 7

The aroma of frying eggs and toasted bread filled the apartment as Sarah moved around the kitchen. It was one of the few mornings she had woken up without the crushing anxiety that had followed her for days. Her thoughts still drifted occasionally toward Hart Holdings and the mess she had left behind, but she pushed them away each time they surfaced. There was no point dwelling on a decision she had already made.

She was arranging slices of bread on a plate when her phone buzzed on the counter.

Absent-mindedly, she picked it up and glanced at the screen. The moment she opened the notification, her brows furrowed. Then her eyes widened.

“What?”

Quickly wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, she opened the email properly and began reading.

Her heart started beating faster with every line.

Luc’s Enterprises had reviewed her application.

Not only had she been shortlisted, but they wanted to schedule an interview.

For a moment, she simply stared at the screen, convinced she was reading it wrong. Then a smile spread across her face before she could stop it.

“Oh my God.”

The excitement bubbling inside her was impossible to contain.

Without hesitation, she dialed Jenny’s number.

The call barely rang twice before it was answered.

“Hey, girl.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes despite the grin on her face.

“Jenny Lucas.”

Jenny laughed immediately.

“Why does that sound like an accusation?”

“Because it is.”

The laughter on the other end only grew louder.

“Don’t tell me you had something to do with this.”

“What?”

“The interview invitation.”

Jenny gasped dramatically.

“Wow. So little faith in me.”

“Jenny.”

“Sarah.”

The two women burst into laughter.

Finally, Jenny sighed. “Okay, fine. I may have mentioned your name.”

“I knew it.”

“But I didn’t get you the interview.”

Sarah’s smile softened.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said. I told them you were looking for opportunities, but your application went through the same process as everyone else. You earned that interview yourself.”

For a moment, Sarah didn’t know what to say.

After weeks of rejection emails and unanswered applications, hearing those words meant more than she cared to admit.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

Sarah laughed.

“Why?”

“Because you still have to smash the interview.”

“Oh, trust me. I plan to.”

“That’s my girl.”

Sarah shook her head fondly.

“Seriously though, thank you.”

“Anytime.”

A brief silence followed before Jenny spoke again, her tone softer this time.

“And Sarah?”

“Yeah?”

“Stop doubting yourself.”

The words caught her off guard.

Jenny continued gently. “You’re smarter than you think you are.”

A lump formed unexpectedly in Sarah’s throat.

“Thank you.”

“Now go prepare.”

Sarah laughed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Break a leg.”

The call ended, leaving Sarah standing in the kitchen with the phone still in her hand.

For several moments, she simply stared at the email again.

For the first time in days, something felt hopeful.

Something felt hopeful.

“What’s got you smiling like that?”

Sarah looked up to find Ann standing in the doorway wearing pajamas and looking half-awake.

Without a word, Sarah handed her the phone.

Ann scanned the email quickly. Her eyes widened almost immediately.

“Oh my goodness.”

Sarah laughed.

“I know.”

Ann pulled her into a quick hug.

“This is amazing.”

“It is.”

They pulled apart, and Ann glanced at the email one last time before handing the phone back. Then her expression grew thoughtful.

“Although…”

Sarah immediately groaned.

“Whenever you start a sentence like that, I know trouble is coming.”

Ann ignored her.

“I think you should officially resign from Hart Holdings.”

Sarah’s smile faded slightly.

The mention of the company instantly brought back memories she had been trying to avoid.

“Ann…”

“No, hear me out.”

Ann folded her arms.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re never going back. Leaving without notice wasn’t exactly professional.”

Sarah sighed.

The frustrating thing was that Ann was right.

“I know.”

“Then do the right thing.”

Sarah lowered her gaze to her coffee mug.

After a few moments, she nodded.

“Fine.”

Ann smiled in satisfaction.

“Good.”

“I’ll go today.”

A few hours later, Sarah stood outside Hart Holdings.

The building looked exactly the same as it always had—tall, elegant, and intimidating.

Yet somehow, standing in front of it now felt different.

She told herself she wasn’t nervous about seeing Calvin.

She was only here to resign.

Nothing more.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

Several employees glanced at her as she crossed the lobby. Some looked surprised to see her. Others looked curious. She ignored them all and headed straight toward Human Resources.

A few minutes later, she found herself standing outside Mrs. Lawson’s office.

After a quick knock, a voice called from inside.

“Come in.”

Sarah pushed the door open.

The moment Mrs. Lawson looked up and recognized her, her expression hardened.

“Sarah Williams.”

Sarah swallowed.

The older woman removed her glasses slowly and set them on the desk.

“Where have you been?”

The question wasn’t loud, but it carried enough weight to make Sarah feel like a child being called into the principal’s office.

“I’m sorry, ma.”

Mrs. Lawson’s gaze sharpened.

“Three days.”

Sarah lowered her eyes.

“A lot happened.”

“A lot happened?” Mrs. Lawson repeated. “You disappeared without notice. You ignored emails and refused to answer calls.”

Sarah remained silent because there was no excuse she could offer that wouldn’t sound weak.

Mrs. Lawson leaned back in her chair.

“Are you aware that your behavior could warrant disciplinary action?”

Heat crept into Sarah’s face.

“Yes, ma.”

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out an envelope and handed it over.

Mrs. Lawson frowned before taking it.

A moment later, her eyes widened slightly.

“Resignation?”

Sarah nodded.

“Yes, ma.”

For several seconds, the older woman simply stared at the letter.

“You’re resigning?”

“Yes.”

“Because of your absence?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

Immediately, Calvin’s face flashed through Sarah’s mind.

His cold eyes.

His controlled voice.

The resentment he carried like armor.

“Personal reasons.”

Mrs. Lawson studied her carefully, clearly unconvinced. Eventually, however, she sighed and placed the letter on her desk.

“If that’s your decision.”

“It is.”

The older woman nodded.

“Very well. You can go clear your desk.”

Something tightened painfully in Sarah’s chest.

This was really happening.

She was leaving.

For good.

“Thank you, ma.”

Mrs. Lawson simply nodded.

Sarah turned and walked out.

Across town, Calvin sat in the study in his apartment reviewing documents.

A stack of reports lay neatly arranged on his desk, waiting for his attention. Normally, work occupied his mind completely. Today, however, his concentration wasn’t what it should have been.

His thoughts kept drifting toward a certain stubborn woman despite his efforts to focus elsewhere.

Annoyed, he reached for another file.

At that moment, his phone rang.

Mrs. Lawson.

His gaze immediately dropped to the screen.

Before he could stop himself, a thought crossed his mind.

Could it be that she's back?

The realization irritated him more than the thought itself.

Answering the call, he kept his voice neutral.

“Mrs. Lawson.”

“Good afternoon, sir.”

Something in her tone made him sit up slightly.

“I thought it best to inform you that Miss Williams came in today.”

Calvin’s grip tightened around the phone.

“She did?”

“Yes, sir.”

For the briefest moment, something suspiciously close to relief surfaced inside him.

Then Mrs. Lawson continued.

“And she submitted her resignation.”

The feeling vanished instantly.

Silence settled around him.

“Did she say why?”

“No, sir.”

His jaw tightened.

“Nothing at all?”

“She claimed it was for personal reasons.”

Personal reasons.

The words echoed unpleasantly in his mind.

“I see.”

Mrs. Lawson continued speaking, mentioning procedures and replacements, but Calvin barely listened.

After the call ended, he lowered the phone onto the desk and stared ahead.

The resignation.

The disappearance.

The unanswered emails.

Suddenly it all made sense.

She wasn’t coming back.

A bitter laugh escaped him.

Had he honestly expected anything else?

His thoughts drifted unwillingly to their last conversation and the look in her eyes before she walked away.

Frustrated.

Humiliated.

Defeated.

A frown settled on his face.

Could it be that I pushed too far?

The thought appeared before he could stop it.

Could it be that my attitude drove her away?

For a long moment, he sat there staring into space.

Then he shook his head and reached for another document.

What did it matter?

Sarah Williams had made her choice.

Just as she had years ago.

Yet long after he resumed working, he found himself reading the same page over and over without absorbing a single word.