"Pack your trash and get out! I want to see what kind of job you can possibly find with that attitude!"
I walked to my desk in silence.
Two years. I had spent two years of my life here, yet everything I owned fit into a single medium-sized box.
The elevator doors slid shut behind me. A wave of melancholy washed over me as I stepped out of the building. My initial ambitions when I joined this company had ended in an unceremonious firing.
My phone buzzed. Blake Rowe had rejected my resignation request in the system.
He called.
I let it ring.
Moments later, a text popped up:
*【Rose, don't mind Joanna. She's just blowing off steam. You've watched this company grow from the ground up—I wouldn't feel comfortable handing those accounts to anyone else.】*
*【I'll be back tomorrow. Take these two days as a paid vacation. We'll talk when I return.】*
I stared at the screen and let out a dry laugh.
Their favorite routine. Good Cop, Bad Cop. A psychological game designed to break me down and build me back up in their image.
Joanna would strip away my self-worth, calling me useless, and then Blake would swoop in with crumbs of validation. A classic manipulation tactic to make me believe that they were the only two people on earth willing to employ me.
I didn't reply.
The next day, I sat across from Isabella Lambert.
"I specialize in operations," I said, introducing myself. "At my previous company, I managed all six major accounts—"
A knowing smile stopped me mid-sentence. "I know. Your accounts are case studies in our training program. The moment I saw your name on the resume, I knew exactly who you were."
Her eyes sparkled with genuine interest. "Within two months of taking over, you made a single video generate a hundred thousand dollars in revenue."
She leaned forward. "Our base pay for operations is $8,000 during probation, rising to $10,000 once you're permanent. We strictly observe all holidays. Performance reviews happen every two months, so there's significant room for advancement."
A pause. "Are you interested? I can send the offer letter right now."
I nodded, my voice steady but sincere. "Of course. It would be an honor to work with you."
"However," I added, "I still need to finalize things with my previous employer. Although I have the stamped termination paper, the CEO rejected my resignation application in the system..."