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“I guess we’ll see. Nate has two months, and then I’m filing for an annulment.” She gasps, and I continue. “Look, I have to go. My Uber is here, and I have a few things to take care of before I leave.”
“Text me when you land. Love your face. Miss you already.”
After we say our goodbyes, I take the elevator to the ground floor and get into the silver BMW that’s double-parked in front of the building. We drive in silence to the Queen Takes King headquarters. I stare out the window, looking up at the skyscrapers we pass, and ten minutes later, I’m riding the elevator to the executive floors that overlook City Hall. An eerie chill rolls down my arms the entire ride up to the twenty-third floor. I had the same feeling six weeks ago, except this one is different. Because I’m saying goodbye.
A few of the coders greet me on my way to my dad’s office. I get a sad smile from one of the secretaries. Everyone has heard about our sham marriage by now. Even Willow knew, and she’s three hours behind east coast time. Bad news travels fast, no matter the distance.
I roll my suitcase down the hallway, unable to look up at anyone as I pass by the Coder Cave at the center of this floor. The hallway curves, and as I pass Nate’s closed door, I let out a sigh of relief. He’s not in his office. His secretary is at his usual post with an angry expression on his tired face. I bet Nate is making his life hell today, having one tantrum after the other.
When I stop in front of my father’s office, I remove a slip of paper from my purse. His secretary rings him to let him know that I am here. She nods to give the okay, and I walk through the door. My hand shakes so badly I’m afraid I will lose my grip on the most important letter I have ever written.
“Harley.” My dad straightens the red tie around his neck and groans. “I thought you were taking the day off.”
I drop the letter onto his desk.
His eyes glaze over. “What’s this?”
I throw my hand onto my hips, glaring down at him. “Open it.”
His eyes widen as he reads. “You’re resigning?”
“Effective immediately,” I shoot back with venom in my tone.
“Look,” he says, his eyebrows furrowed with concern, “I know you’re mad at Nate, and you have every right to be, but we need you here.”
“You never thought so before. For as long as I have worked for this company, you have wanted me gone. But you couldn’t fire your only child, so you put up with me. You denied me positions I earned just to spite me. I’m done being used, abused, and lied to by you. You let me waste years of my time and energy on a dead-end career. You let Stefan have the job I wanted. Nate got a seat on the board, a real executive position, and I got nothing. Your love and respect would have been enough for me, but you couldn’t even give me that.”
“Harley,” he snaps, getting out of his chair. “Don’t do this. You can’t take it back once you leave this office.”
“I’m going back to LA and taking my old job back until I can find something more suitable.”
He grinds his teeth, turning his head away from me to look out the windows. “We need you to stand with Nate while he makes a press release about your marriage.”
I laugh. “Not going to happen. My flight leaves in three hours. I have to get to the airport. You and Nate can figure out how to deal with the mess you created.”
I spin on my heels, dragging my suitcase. He calls out my name, but I don’t stop until I reach the elevators. I don’t even look at or speak to anyone as I leave this life behind.
Willow rolls the convertible top down, and a soft breeze blows through my hair. The air smells different in California. Back in Philly, it was so damn cold my skin kept cracking. Even my hair had lost its shine. There’s something magical about Los Angeles. From the palm trees to the sunshine, I drink it all in, and my skin tingles with excitement. It’s still a little chilly this time of year, but I don’t mind the cold air on my neck. It feels amazing after being bundled up in winter coats for the last six weeks.
After we leave the airport, we park at In-N-Out Burger and order the most amazing burgers, fries, and shakes. Unlike most fast-food restaurants, they make everything from scratch. I fell in love with this place right after I moved to SoCal. Once a month, I convince Willow to break her diet to enjoy one of my greatest pleasures.
