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“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“You always have a choice, Ms. Jackson.” Betty’s voice perks up at the end.
Not really. Not when I have rent to pay and literally twenty-eight dollars sitting in my bank account because this job pays shit and I have never bothered to look for something in my actual field of work after I graduated with a degree in Architectural Design.
I straighten my spine, keeping my eyes fixed on Betty. “Thank you for your time. Will that be all?”
She glances at Greg who is so absorbed in his phone, clearly distracted by something on his screen, he isn’t even tuned in to this conversation. Betty finally looks back at me and nods. I shoot up from my seat, needing to get the fuck out of this office before I do or say something foolish.
“Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. I’ll look for your email.”
She tips her chin down. “Also, today is your last day here. There will be a box on your desk when you get back.”
Seriously?
I adjust my pencil skirt and approach the door, a tumult of emotions urging me to have the final say, to strike where it hurts and soil Greg’s reputation or jeopardize his job. But petty revenge like this does nothing but feed my anger and turn me into a darker version of myself. I grip the door handle and blink back the tears welling in my eyes.
Not yet. Not here.
I’m pretty sure I just hit rock bottom.
CHAPTER 2
ZOE
Good riddance.
I start throwing stuff into the empty, white box perched on my desk, fuming over which one of these motherfuckers placed it here. Three years of continuous effort in a dead-end job, and this is how it ends. This is my humiliating achievement. I can practically feel the burn radiating off my cheeks from the intensity of nosy gazes around me.
I know they’re all staring. Whispers ripple from all around me, but I keep my face down, focused on grabbing everything that belongs to me and getting the hell out of here. It’s an effort to block out the chatter as I continue to throw more useless office shit into the box.
Stapler.
Scotch tape. Not mine.
Planner. Mine…in the box you go.
I grab the framed picture of Aaron and me taken in front of the Charging Bull in New York City. It was a special day for my big brother, as he had just made his first significant sale as a NYC realtor. I had been visiting him during spring break, staying in his cramped studio apartment with barely enough space for one person, let alone a guest. Yet, that week turned out to be one of the best of my life, and I felt fortunate to share a significant milestone with Aaron.
I’ll forever remember the sheer excitement in his eyes when he burst into the apartment that day, sharing his good news. We celebrated by jumping and screaming, probably infuriating his neighbors downstairs, but neither one of us cared. In that moment, he was that much closer to everything he’d ever wanted.
Then he insisted I dress up so he could treat me to a fancy lunch. We ended up in Manhattan’s financial district where he wanted a selfie with the Charging Bull. We both placed our palms on its bronze behind and beamed. After taking the photo, he told me he was going to live in a penthouse suite close to the bull one day, and I knew he would do it.
I never doubted him for one second.
Because unlike me, Aaron always gets whatever he sets his mind to. He never gives up, and that’s why he’s an incredibly successful billionaire. He’s always been driven, dedicated, and passionate about his career. He’s the crown jewel of the family, making up for the ocean bottom feeder (a.k.a. me). At least I’m good at being the worst.
Holding the title of our family’s greatest disappointment at twenty-five, I'm single with zero prospects and have never experienced a long-term relationship. Commitment has always been something I avoided like the plague. I rent a small studio apartment near my job, which I've recently lost. My life seems to consist of nothing but a collection of underwhelming thoughts and memories. And now, I'm being forced to leave Boston, the few friends I have, and my meager excuse for a life to start anew in a city I can't even afford.
Wait until my parents hear about this one.
The one good thing about this pile of shit is that I’ll be close to Aaron again.
What am I even going to tell him?
It doesn’t matter; he won’t judge me. He might be disappointed for all of about twenty seconds, but he’ll jump right into problem-solving and try to help me find an “optimal” solution. Even though the only thing I’ll be able to afford once I get there is a fancy cardboard box.
Aaron is the only person in this entire world who has never made me feel worthless. He’s always loved me, even if I don’t have the big achievements in life like everyone else. He has been there for all the highs and lows in my life. When my parents would talk down to me, my protective brother would comfort me and always have my back. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know where I would be. Probably more of a hot mess than I already am, if that is even possible.
