Lahat ng Kabanata ng After I Quit: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

"She really took off her badge just like that?""I thought Vice President Natalie Shaw always fought her corner. Was that whole tough act fake?""What else is she supposed to do? The person firing her is Mr. Hale himself. Nobody's going to challenge the new CEO on his first day."Their whispers drifted through the banquet hall.I glanced at the employee badge lying on the table and said nothing.I had poured everything I had into helping Grant Hale reach the CEO's office. I never imagined that his first act after gaining power would be to fire me so his little assistant could take my place.Across the room, Chloe Vance smiled with naked satisfaction. My fingers curled tightly against my palm.Then several sharper voices cut through the murmuring."Good. Mr. Hale made the right call. Natalie should have been thrown out ages ago.""Why is everyone outraged when Mr. Hale fires her? She was allowed to fire employees whenever she wanted when she was vice president. That's a double

And what happened in the end?He took everything I had fought so hard to build, accepted it as if it were owed to him, then turned around and kicked me aside so someone else could take my place.Maybe there had been no room for me in his heart for a long time.I was the only fool still believing that if I tried hard enough, he would eventually see me.Thinking about it now, I had been unbelievably stupid.Grant's cold voice pulled me back."Cat got your tongue, Natalie? Apologize to Chloe. Now."If you don't apologize, don't even think about leaving this room today."The moment he finished speaking, the security guards around me closed in, each one holding a baton.So that was how determined he was to force an apology out of me.Chloe watched with expectation written across her face, satisfaction glinting in her eyes.Seeing Grant so determined to defend Chloe, I felt something press down on my chest until even breathing took effort.Once, he had stood in front of everyone

The banquet hall fell deathly silent.Grant stood frozen in place. The smile on his face hardened.Only when Chloe pinched his arm did he snap back to himself.His face turned pale. "Chairman, what does this mean? Why would you remove me for no reason?"He had worked for a year and taken several major projects to win that position.How could he be removed before he had even settled into the seat?He refused to accept it.Just as his questions reached his throat, he suddenly thought of me. He assumed I had complained to the chairman behind his back.That thought seemed to calm him.Afraid of saying the wrong thing, he swallowed his anger and tried to sound careful."Did Natalie say something to you? Please don't listen to her slander. Since joining this company, I have always worked diligently. I have never done anything to harm the company. I even won several major projects and helped move the business forward."I believe I have contributed to this company. There is no reaso

"How could a useless woman like Natalie Shaw compare to my value in the chairman's eyes?"Chloe brightened too, believing fate had finally chosen her after all."Other than talking tough, what does she have that's better than you? The chairman must have realized what Natalie really is and cut his losses before he lost a talent like you."But as soon as Grant finished reading the email, the smile vanished from his face.Before Chloe could ask what happened, he turned and slapped her.Then he shoved the phone in front of her and demanded coldly, "Don't you owe me an explanation?"The moment Chloe read the email, she understood why she had been uneasy all day.The email laid out her movements over the past year.After leaving the company, her life had not been nearly as miserable as she claimed. No one had wasted resources blacklisting someone as incompetent as her. She had simply been fired.But she could not swallow the humiliation.She had been looking for a chance to retalia

I handed the bouquet back to him."Keep them. I don't need them."And I have always hated white roses."With that, I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the door.When he realized I was truly leaving, he panicked.He grabbed my sleeve, his voice choked."Natalie! I have nothing now. I only have you. Why are you leaving me too?"I know I was wrong. I should not have wronged you because of Chloe. But I've already apologized. Why won't you forgive me?"I looked at him coldly.In the past, I might have agreed.But I was no longer the woman I used to be.Since he was so determined to demand a reason, I gave him one."The moment you threw away that watch without hesitation, our relationship went to zero."The only reason you survived in that company for all these years was because I worked several times harder than you behind your back so you could climb step by step."Those so-called impressive projects of yours. Which one did not involve me? Which one did not pass through