Q2
Looking down, I saw that my advisor had already hung up.
I naturally turned off my phone
“A friend who’s planning to quit his job,” I said.
Fiona frowned, suspicion rising in her mind. “What kind of friend talks about work stuff with you this late?”
As I was pondering how to explain, her phone suddenly pinged with a message from Zack, saying he had encountered a stray kitten on his way home and had specially gone to buy a sausage for it.
A smile involuntarily lifted the corners of Fiona’s lips.
Seeming to realize I was still there, Fiona suppressed her smile and said perfunctorily, “Don’t chat about negative things with your friends. Use that time to learn more about the project instead.”
Her cold tone was completely different from how she spoke to Zack.
I didn’t argue or complain that the project had already been given to Zack. Fiona didn’t pay me any more attention either, smiling as she replied to the message while heading to her room.
Soon after, her hearty laughter could be heard from the room.
She had completely forgotten how I had been by her side all these years, working tirelessly day and night, cutting off all contact with my friends.
But it was just as well, saving me the trouble of arguing with her.
I returned to the small study converted from a storage room and took out the English materials I hadn’t finished reading.
After five years, the direction of the research institute had changed. If I wanted to go back, even with my advisor’s help, I needed to have strong skills myself.
Fortunately, my foundation was solid, so it wouldn’t take too long to pick things up again.
“You’re reading English magazines?”
Just as I was engrossed in my studies, Fiona suddenly entered the room.
She reached over and took the magazine, flipped through a couple of pages, then tossed it back.
With a sneer, she said, “Why are you reading this? Can you even understand it?”
<
“Just browsing,” I replied coldly.
I put away the materials and asked, “Did you need something?”
In the past, whenever Fiona came to me on her own initiative, I was always very enthusiastic. Perhaps not expecting me to be so cold, she was taken aback for a moment.
Her expression became somewhat unnatural.
“There is something,” she said.
“Zack just completed a big project, and I’m planning to promote him. It’s also a good way to encourage other employees. What do you think?”
Fiona looked at me.
She asked for my opinion, but I knew this was just a notification, not a real consultation.
I still nodded, “I have no objections.”
“But there need to be penalties as well as rewards, otherwise the team will be hard to manage,” she continued.
“You haven’t completed a project in such a long time, so I’m thinking of temporarily transferring you to an entry–level position. I’ll bring you back later when the time is right.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t be for too long. I’m thinking of the overall situation here. You’re my boyfriend, so you should support me, right?”
I laughed inwardly.
So even now, she didn’t know about my resignation.
She could deduce Zack’s mood from the slightest hints and know what he liked from small details. But now, as her boyfriend, my resignation letter had been signed by her own hand, and she was completely unaware.
Indeed, care and indifference can be seen in just a few words.
Seeing that i didn’t speak, Fiona thought I was going to argue with her like before. Her expression immediately darkened.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree. I’ve already sent out the notice, and your office has been given to Zack.”
“Either you accept the transfer, or you leave,” she threatened. “But let me advise you, the company is about to go public. You should think carefully before you walk away.”
Her tone was confident that I wouldn’t leave.
This kind of thing had happened too many times. In just one year, because of a few words from Zack, my position in the company had been lowered again and again.
If I could endure it then, Fiona was sure I would be even less willing to leave now.
I smiled bitterly.
“I didn’t eat.
I smiled bitterly.
“I didn’t say I disagreed.”
“Alright then, that’s settled,” Fiona said, her mood lightening.
I didn’t say I disagreed, so that meant I agreed.
Just as she was about to leave, she seemed to notice something and came back.
“I remember you used to have our photo on your desk. Where is it now?”
I finally realized what she meant.
Actually, not just on the desk, but on the walls of my room and in my wallet, there were photos of us everywhere. I had been constantly reminding myself that no matter what Fiona did to me, she still loved me.
But when I learned about Zack and Fiona’s relationship, I realized how ridiculous I had been.
These photos, each one of them, were mocking how much of a clown I was.
I didn’t want to explain much, so I said flatly, “The frame broke accidentally, so I put it away!”
“Why are you so clumsy with everything?” Fiona frowned in disgust, immediately looking down to check if there was any broken glass on the floor.
“Make sure you clean up properly when you have time. Don’t let anyone get hurt.”
With that, she stood up and walked out of the study.
Watching her back, I couldn’t help but laugh self–mockingly.
Of course, she wasn’t concerned about me. Her words clearly meant she didn’t want Zack to get hurt.
This was our home, but she had brought Zack here many times.
ww
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47
At first, she came secretly. Later, when I questioned her about the strange occurrences, she immediately produced evidence that it was just for work. She then took the opportunity to rebuke me for being jealous and petty, and subsequently began bringing Zack home openly out of spite.
As time went on, I fell into self–doubt.
Every day I reflected on whether I was wrong. Now that I think about it, if I had used that time to focus on anything else, I could have been successful.
The next morning, Fiona announced the good news of Zack’s promotion, as well as my demotion to the lowest level.
My colleagues didn’t know I had already resigned. While they congratulated Zack, their eyes were full of sympathy when they looked at me, secretly speculating whether I would throw a tantrum again.
To their disappointment, I remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
W
Over the next few days, while Fiona was hosting a celebration party for Zack, I was applying for a visa.
7:00 PM ·
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000
*
Over the next few days, while Fiona was hosting a celebration party for Zack, I was applying for a visa.
When they were relaxing at an amusement park, I was clearing out my things. In the end, the stuff I wanted to take with me
didn’t even fill one suitcase.
When they were entertaining clients at a club and being urged to drink from the same glass, I was handing over all my work.
wo days later, on my last day at the company, I completed the final procedures at HR.
“Go to the CEO’s office before you leave. The boss is looking for you,” the HR person said without looking up.
I was about to refuse, but then I thought, I’m leaving tonight. If Fiona goes out with Zack as usual and doesn’t come home, this might be our last meeting.
After all, we’ve been together for five years. There should be some kind of farewell ritual, right?
Thinking of this, I went upstairs to the CEO’s office.
Just as I was about to push open the door, I saw through the glass wall that Fiona was sitting on the sofa wearing a short skirt, while Zack was lying down with his head on her lap. They looked very intimate.
