Chapter 4

The next day, I sat in the airport departure lounge.

Elaine's messages kept coming.

"Why are there three versions of the cost model?"

"I don't have permission to create the roadshow version."

The answers were all in the handover sheet.

I sent back the page numbers and the file path.

Half an hour later, Samuel called.

"Don't board yet. Log in remotely and take over the system."

"What for?"

"Elaine doesn't have create permissions."

"She should copy the branch, then submit a permissions request."

"She's never done it. Walk her through it once, ten minutes is enough."

"I ran the process training three times, and it's all in the handover sheet."

"Lola, right now let's just fix the problem."

Elaine could skip the files, skip the process, show up forty minutes late. All she had to do was say she didn't know how, and the responsibility would land back on me.

"I'm on annual leave. I won't do the project lead's work for her."

His voice dropped.

"You really have to draw this line right now?"

"Yes."

"I can handle the ring and the credit. You don't need to use the project timeline to force my hand."

My stomach clenched all at once.

Before, when he heard my stomach hurt, the first thing he did was go find hot water.

Now all he heard was that Elaine had cried all morning.

I bought a cup of warm water.

"Have you checked the backend records?"

"What?"

"The timestamps on the file uploads, the permissions requests, and the handover sheet."

I heard keys clicking on his end.

A moment later, he saw the full record.

Nothing was missing, and I hadn't touched the permissions.

Still he said, "There's no one to catch this now. At least see this part through."

"When there's credit to claim, it's her. When something goes wrong, it's back to me?"

"That's not what I mean."

"That's always what you mean."

The boarding announcement began.

At the same moment, HR's email came through, confirming the contract would terminate Friday, with system access closed right after.

Samuel got it too.

"You really won't renew?"

"No."

"You're not going to the East Coast on a business trip?"

"No."

He finally understood that the black card, the keys, the contract, and my things had never been bargaining chips in some tantrum.

"You've settled us up too?"

For five years, he'd been certain I wouldn't leave.

So going public with our relationship could wait, trips could be canceled, house viewings could be pushed back.

Even the engagement ring could be borrowed first, to save face at some banquet.

"Yes."

I pulled up my suitcase.

"The contract's not renewing, and we end here too."

The line went dead silent.

A few seconds later, he asked, "What are you going to the East Coast for?"

"Next Monday, I start at Qihua."

I stepped into the boarding line.

"Head of the East Coast Division."

His breath stopped.

Then an email alert sounded on his end.

"The urban-development investors want whoever actually ran the proposal and the model in a review within the hour."

"Then have the lead on file attend."

The gate was right in front of me.

"Lola, don't go through the gate yet."

The light turned green.

I didn't stop.