Page 53 of Last Minute Fiancé

Anger flowed through me and I curled my hands into fists, ignoring the smirking man at my side.

“Excuse me? Travis and I come from the same schools, with the same connections. What path are you speaking of?” I asked.

My boss ignored me.

“You lied to us, and lying will not be tolerated. And while we won’t let you go for that transgression, you have to know that you will be reprimanded. Travis will become our new junior partner. He’s earned it. And his connections with the Forbes, as well as his hard work and determination will be an asset to this company. And Addison—Lily—you will have to work hard to get in our good graces again, but I’m sure you will. You’ve always worked your best.”

Travis gloated as he said, “Thank you.” I wasn’t quite sure what they said after that, it sounded like echoes around me.

Why had I fought so hard and made so many poor decisions for a job that didn’t respect me, one I wasn’t even sure I liked anymore.

My entire five-year plan was gone, my ten-year plan? It was like it hadn’t even existed.

I had made mistake after mistake, for people that didn’t respect me. And never would.

“I quit.”

I hadn’t realized I was going to say the words until they were out, hadn’t ever thought I would, but then they were there, and everyone stopped speaking and looked at me.

“Excuse me?” Harrington-Wells III asked as Travis chuckled beside me. He thought he was the victor, but I couldn’t care less.

“I quit. I don’t want to work here anymore. Not for you, not with him, not for a company that has never valued me. Yes, I lied. I made up a fiancé because I knew that if I showed up as a single woman I wasn’t even going to be considered for the promotion.”

Harrington held up both hands. “Excuse me, I would never condone harassment such as that. I’ve never thought less of you for being a woman.”

This time I smirked. “We both know that’s a lie. We both know that this is a boys’ club and always has been. I’m your token woman, and I had thrived because I knew I could do better. I could be better. But I’m done. I lied because I knew if you found out the truth, you would’ve found a way to let me go anyway.”

Then I stood up and shifted my shirt so they could see the bump.

Travis’s eyes widened, as Wells’s wife clucked her tongue once again, and my boss just paled.

“I’m done. I don’t need this job. I don’t need this business. And you’re going to be sorry after I’m gone. You don’t even have any idea how to open up a PDF, and the man you just promoted hasn’t done his own work in months. But sure, reward the snark.”

I stormed out of the office, blind panic setting in.

I had just made a colossal decision, one that I had been brewing over in the back of my mind for months.

And one that screamed I was making a giant mistake.

But there was no going back.

No changing anything.

They would’ve found a way to fire me. And now I needed to deal with the consequences of my actions.

And yet, I felt relieved.

Which should have scared me more than anything.

ChapterThirteen

Luca

My pulse raced when Addison opened the door. I was ready to be murdered. That was pretty much what was about to happen. She was going to murder me, and it would be entirely justified.

“I messed up. I fucked up so bad. I’m so sorry.”

Addison looked up at me with wide eyes and shook her head.

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