After leaving the hospital, I headed to the office instead of going home.
I had worked as a jewelry designer at Frank's company for seven years and created numerous popular products for the company. I needed to retrieve some of the creative data that was still stored on my work computer.
However, after returning to the company, I realized that my workstation was covered with someone else's belongings.
The personal belongings I had placed on my desk had all been tossed into a tattered cardboard box in the corner.
I stopped a passing colleague, Timothy Elston, and asked blankly, "What's going on? Why has my workstation been occupied by someone else?"
Timothy replied, "Mr. Winston said that since you were pregnant, he'd let Ms. Scott take over your workstation while you were on maternity leave. Ms. Scott has also taken over as the company's creative director."
I was instantly frozen in place. Frank had never brought this up with me.
Timothy did not notice my reaction and continued without care, "Ms. Scott treats us all very well, and she's also very talented. The Sky's Heart necklace, which she newly designed, has been very well-received lately."
I immediately felt blood rushing to my head upon hearing the necklace's name.
Sky's Heart was evidently my design—my favorite design, in fact.
It was the product of countless revisions and two full years' worth of blood, sweat, and tears.
Additionally, the reason I had designed the necklace was because I hoped to one day give it to my child after they were born.
I looked at the pamphlet displaying the necklace inlaid with an aquamarine gem. The designer's name was clearly printed in the bottom right corner—Johanna Scott.
She had blatantly stolen my work just like that.
I shakily made a call to Frank.
Before he could say anything, I couldn't help but ask loudly, "Why didn't you tell me you'd given Johanna my job? She stole my necklace design! That's my work!"
Even though I was shouting at the top of my lungs, Frank simply sighed in annoyance. "Why must you be so petty? No matter who gets credited for the design, the profits from it belong to the company all the same.
"Moreover, you're pregnant and on maternity leave. Johanna's naturally just helping you finish up your remaining work so you can have a good rest."
I heard how choked up my own voice sounded, and my hand wouldn't stop trembling around my phone. "Is that so? That's two years of my blood, sweat, and tears, Frank! It's the present I'd prepared for our child!"
He rudely interrupted me. "Enough. What matters most right now is for you to take good care of the baby and stop worrying about unimportant matters like this."
He then hung up heartlessly.
Take good care of the baby. That was what Frank said.
I couldn't help but smile as I caressed my flat stomach.
He was still unaware that he had already effectively killed our child.
I gazed at the necklace that originally belonged to me, swallowed down my bitterness, and went to the company's HR department.
"Excuse me. I'd like to resign from the company."
