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"What are best friends for?" he adds, and I'm forced to accept that maybe I'm luckier than I normally believe.
Heading out to my car, I barely manage to climb in before my phone starts buzzing, signaling an incoming call.
Seeing Charles's name flash across the screen, I immediately pick it up.
"You got my email, right?" I ask, feeling frantic about whatever he's going to tell me.
"I did. And the two of you only recently started seeing each other? Definitely after she turned eighteen?" Charles confirms, and I grimace at the thought that I might have been interested in Monica when she was still a teenager.
"Yes. She's twenty-five, and I only recently started seeing her. Is that going to be a problem?" I ask, my heart racing as I anxiously await his response.
"Jessica might bring it up, but I don't think it'll significantly affect your case. Unless she has concrete evidence that this relationship began earlier or that there's something objectionable about the girl, it won't carry much weight in the eyes of the court. I'm still confident that you'll retain full custody," Charles reassures me, and for the first time in months, relief washes over me.
Now, all I need is to win Monica back.
CHAPTER27
MONICA
Ialmost decided not to go into work today, but I needed to maintain professionalism. The least I can do is personally bring in my letter of resignation.
Kate let me know about a few temporary job openings in the Boston branch of the consulting firm she works for, and I thought it would be a good place to start while searching for a more permanent job.
While I could stay here, I know I wouldn't be able to having to see Jared every day. Just the thought of him makes my heart ache.
I love him. If only I had ever gotten the chance to tell him that. And now, after all we've been through and our families finding out about us, we still can't be together.
I need to get through today. Once I accomplish that, I won't have to worry about Jared anymore, except for the times I'll be forced to see him at family events. But I have to focus on one problem at a time.
Tentatively, I knock on his office door, and when he tells me to come in, the sound of his voice already causes my heart to tighten.
Opening his door, I find him engrossed in his computer, but when he looks up at me, he does a double take, as if unsure I'm real.
"Um... hi," he breathes out, his voice lacking the usual confidence.
How do I bring up the fact that I'm here to drop off my letter of resignation? It feels incredibly uncomfortable, but I know that avoiding it would only prolong my discomfort.
Before I can say anything, Jared blurts out, "Mr. Cho is going with us."
Despite my mix of contempt and sadness, I manage to give him a small smile. "That's really good to hear."
Another moment passes where we remain silent, simply taking each other in. It only makes this whole ordeal more difficult, but I can't help myself. Despite everything that happened yesterday, I still long for his presence.
But I know what I came here to do.
"I brought my letter of—" I begin, but I'm swiftly interrupted by him, his eyes looking frantic as if he already knows what I'm about to say.
"I'm sorry. Please, just... don't," he pleads, his voice filled with desperation.
It causes my shoulders to slump. His pleading only intensifies the difficulty of this moment.
"I know, but I can't continue working here. It's too challenging," I say, trying my best to hold back tears, the realization of our relationship ending weighing heavily on me.
"I know, I know. But please, just hear me out," he urges, his eyes filled with an imploring gaze.
With a sigh, I mumble a quick, "Okay," as I brace myself for what he has to say.
"Monica... I... I was terrified," he begins, and I can hear the desperation in his voice. "Of losing Tyler, of losing Archer, and frankly, even of losing Mr. Cho."
