Isolde POV
The next morning, I moved like a ghost through the apartment, gathering my few belongings. My "poor girl" persona meant I didn't have much to pack. A small suitcase held my clothes, a backpack my laptop and a few sentimental items. The silver engagement ring remained on my finger, a cold reminder of the lie. I would deal with it later. First, I had to sever all ties.
The corporate office building of Apex Corp, Haylie White' s domain, loomed large and imposing under a sky as gray as my mood. I stepped out of the cab, the cold wind whipping around me, but I felt nothing. My heart was a block of ice.
I walked directly to Human Resources, the marble floors echoing my footsteps. The scent of stale coffee and corporate ambition hung in the air. As I approached the HR desk, I saw her. Haylie White. She was leaning against the cubicle wall of a junior manager, her laughter echoing, overly loud and jarring in the otherwise hushed environment. She radiated power and arrogance, a shark in a designer suit.
Her eyes, sharp and calculating, landed on me. A smirk played on her lips. "Well, well, Isolde Park. Or should I say, 'Isabella Pierce,' our diligent junior analyst. What brings you to the hallowed halls of HR? Not thinking of abandoning ship so soon, are we?" Her tone was laced with mockery, her eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. She knew. She knew about Ben. She was enjoying my pain.
"I need to resign," I stated, my voice steady, devoid of emotion. I pushed the signed resignation letter across the counter to the HR assistant, who looked up, wide-eyed, clearly uncomfortable with the tension in the room.
Haylie pushed off the wall, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Resign? Already? But you were just about to get that big promotion, weren' t you? Ben was so proud of your 'contributions'." Her gaze swept over me, a condescending smirk on her face. "Though, honestly, I always wondered how someone with your 'background' managed to pull off such complex deals. Must have been a lot of late nights with Ben, hm?"
The HR assistant cleared her throat, clearly wanting to diffuse the situation. "Ms. Pierce, we usually require two weeks' notice. Is there anything we can do to change your mind?"
"No," I replied, my eyes fixed on Haylie. "I require my resignation to be processed immediately."
Haylie stepped closer, her expensive perfume, the same sickeningly sweet scent I' d detected on Ben, assaulting my senses. It was a suffocating cloud of betrayal. "Oh, Isolde. Don't be so dramatic. You' ll find another entry-level job somewhere. It' s not the end of the world." She lowered her voice, a venomous whisper. "Unless, of course, you're upset about Ben. He spent the night at my place again. Said he needed to celebrate his big win, without his 'poor, ambitionless girlfriend' holding him back."
She smirked, then leaned even closer, her hot breath against my ear. "He said you were getting in the way. Always asking too many questions. Always clinging to him. He preferred a woman who knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid to take it." With a sly movement, she tugged at the lapel of her blazer, revealing a small, faint bruise on her collarbone. A love bite. A trophy. A confirmation of her disgusting conquest.
My nails dug into my palms, the sharp pain grounding me. My breath hitched, a silent scream trapped in my throat. I forced myself to meet her gaze, a cold, empty stare. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not here. Not now.
Just then, the office door swung open, and Ben Carpenter stepped in, a triumphant grin on his face. He was holding a stack of files, his head held high. "Good morning, everyone! What a glorious day for Apex Corp, wouldn't you say, Haylie?" He paused, his gaze sweeping the room, then landed on me. His smile faltered. His eyes widened, a flicker of panic replacing his smugness.
He saw Haylie, close to me, the defiant smirk on her face. He saw me, standing impassively at the HR desk, my resignation letter in full view. His confident stride faltered. The stack of files in his hand shifted, almost tumbling to the floor.
"Isolde? What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice cracking, the bravado evaporating. He looked from me to Haylie, his eyes darting frantically, trying to gauge the situation.
"I'm resigning," I answered, my voice steady, betraying nothing. I watched his face crumple, the carefully constructed facade finally cracking.
"Resigning? Why?" he stammered, his eyes pleading, desperately trying to regain control.
I met his gaze, a cold, hard glint in my eyes. "I'm just following your advice, Ben. Moving on to bigger and better things. Leaving the 'stepping stones' behind." My words were a double-edged sword, cutting through his pretense, exposing his hypocrisy for all to see. His face flushed with shame, but it was too late. The damage was done. And this was just the beginning.
