2: 2
2
Paul thought I was still throwing a fit.
So he dug in too, said nothing, and just signed off on my resignation.
When HR finished processing my paperwork, she was quietly happy for me.
*Lawyer Pruitt, with your talent, you should've gone somewhere better a long time ago.*
My resignation had been approved barely ten minutes.
Then Mercedes asked Paul, right there in the team chat:
*Boss, can I have Lawyer Pruitt's office?*
Paul fired back a smiley face and added a note for everyone:
*Of course. This firm never shortchanges the people who work for it.*
*Also, given Mercedes's outstanding performance lately, she's being fast-tracked to a full position ahead of schedule.*
A second later, I was removed from the team chat.
When HR saw the messages, she sent me one, furious:
*Lawyer Pruitt, she's an intern who got in through connections. What gives her the right to sit in that office?*
I only managed an awkward little smile at that.
I could picture it perfectly: Mercedes playing the caring one, all for Paul's sake, feeding him ideas just to get under my skin.
In the past, the moment we fought, Paul would make a point of getting cozy with Mercedes.
And I, uneasy, would always cave first and go to him, just to smooth things over.
That trick of his had worked every single time.
Not this time. I wasn't playing along.
She wanted the office? Fine, let her have it.
I'd been fighting for so long that I had nothing left.
......
Outside the stadium in Mexico, the crowd surged, and I spotted Antonia Vance right away.
We didn't see each other often. We'd met years ago, through Lolo's organ donation.
And we'd come to Mexico for one reason only: to make Lolo's wish come true.
I'd just raised my hand to wave at her.
Then my eyes shifted, and I saw Paul and Mercedes, fingers laced together.
His eyes met mine, and he jerked his hand away as if he'd been shocked.
I turned to leave, and Paul grabbed me and held on.
His voice came at my ear, edged with a trace of smugness:
*Knew you'd come chasing after us.*
*These past couple of days, you've been jealous, haven't you?*
Then he rushed to add:
*There are so many people here. I was only holding her hand so Mercedes wouldn't get lost.*
*You know how it is. Our families go way back. I'd have a lot to answer for if I lost her.*
Mercedes leaned in with a bright, sunny face, warm as if nothing had happened.
Except every word she said was quietly painting how close she and Paul were.
*Viola, so you were upset because Paul and I were watching the game together?*
*Don't worry. If I really liked Paul, I'd have married him ages ago.*
*It's just, the two of us have watched games together since we were kids. It's a habit. Next time I'll have Paul bring you along.*
That condescending tone. I knew it too well.
At the firm, she was the intern I was supposed to be training, and she stuck to Paul's side instead.
Whenever I brought it up, Mercedes would look at me all innocent and explain:
*Paul's tutored me since we were little, so I pick things up faster learning from him.*
It wasn't until Antonia pushed a bag of sandwiches into my hands that my thoughts snapped back.
She'd walked over with no idea what was going on, and she nudged me, excited:
*Come on, eat up and let's get inside for the game.*
At that, Paul's expression darkened at once.
Mercedes deliberately raised her voice, stirring the pot:
*So, Viola, you actually came here to watch the World Cup, and not to apologize to Paul?*
The whole thing struck me as absurd and ridiculous, and I couldn't help firing back:
*Why on earth would I apologize?*
*Which law says I'm not allowed to come watch the World Cup?*
The girl's big eyes brimmed with tears in an instant.
Seeing me snap at Mercedes, Paul flared up too.
*Viola, that's enough!*
*You quit for no reason, left Mercedes to work overtime cleaning up your mess, and I let that slide. Now you're being harsh with her too?*
I laughed out loud, forcing down the hurt inside me, and shot back:
*Overtime doing what? The kind of overtime where you throw your arms around the boss and kiss him at a stadium?*
*Besides, the firm has plenty of interns. One round of overtime gets her a full position early. Pretty good deal, isn't it?*
Paul realized I had, after all, seen them kissing, and you could watch his bluster drop three notches.
*The team we support scored, that's all. Emotions ran a little high.*
*Things are more open abroad anyway. The camera panned over, so we left a little commemorative kiss. It's perfectly normal……*
Before I could get a word in.
Antonia, standing beside me, couldn't hold back any longer:
*Oh? So if the team you support wins the whole thing, are you going to make a baby right there to celebrate?*
Paul had no comeback for that.
His face went dark, and he said in a tone that left no room for argument:
*I'll give you three days. Watch your game, then come home like a good girl.*
*Write a letter of apology, you can go back to the firm as usual, and I can pretend none of this happened.*
I lifted my head and looked calmly at this face I'd loved for years.
This time there was no hurt, no anger, only a polite distance.
*Excuse me, would you move aside. You're blocking us from going in to watch the game.*
