Chapter 2

I said nothing.

Seeing me stare at the document, Jessica instinctively hid it behind her back.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?"

"That's my proposal." I pointed behind her. "I worked on it for three months. Just finalized it last week."

She blinked.

"Oh, this."

"Miranda said you were leaving, so she asked me to familiarize myself with the project."

"When did I say I was leaving?"

Jessica's expression stiffened for a moment, then she smiled again.

"Charlotte, you'll have to ask Miranda about that. I'm just following management's instructions."

She tried to step around me. I blocked her path.

"Jessica, tell me the truth. How much do you know about this?"

She looked up at me, her eyes evasive.

"Charlotte, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just taking over the work normally."

She went around me and walked away quickly.

I stood there as pieces started connecting in my mind.

Three months ago, Jessica joined the company.

Miranda said she was a distant cousin and asked me to "mentor her."

I did.

Client data, coordination processes, email correspondence—I taught her everything hands-on.

I thought I was training a successor. Now I realized—I was training my replacement.

My phone vibrated again.

My husband sent three messages in a row: 【How's the baby?】 【What did the company say?】 【Don't worry, come home and we'll talk about it.】

I shoved the phone in my pocket and headed to my desk.

When I pushed open the department's glass door, twenty pairs of eyes looked up at me, then quickly looked away.

The office was eerily quiet.

Lisa, who usually loved gossip, kept her head down, staring motionless at her screen. When intern Amy saw me, her lips moved but she said nothing.

I walked to my desk.

A cardboard box sat on top, with a document beside it—【Resignation Handover Checklist】.

They'd even prepared the box.

I picked up the checklist.

First item: Stellar Group project materials and client contact information.

Second item: Shared department folder access permissions.

Third item: Company-issued computer and access card.

The last line had a space for my signature, dated today.

I set down the checklist and opened my computer.

Before I could enter my password, a line appeared on screen: 【Your account has been disabled. For questions, please contact IT.】

They'd already locked my account. They weren't even giving me time to react.

"Charlotte."

A soft voice came from behind me.

I turned. It was intern Amy.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip, glancing toward Miranda's office.

"During this morning's meeting..."

"What meeting?"

"The morning meeting. Before you went into the conference room, Miranda already told us."

Her voice grew quieter.

"Told you what?"

"That you'd voluntarily resigned because of... family reasons."

"She also said we should understand and not pressure you."

I froze.

"I voluntarily resigned?"

Amy nodded.

"She also said Jessica would temporarily take over the Stellar project. Her exact words were... 'Charlotte's recommendation.'"

She glanced at me.

"Charlotte, I just thought..."

"Thought what?"

"It seemed strange. You always work so hard, why would you suddenly quit?"

I didn't answer.

Miranda's office door opened.

She stood in the doorway and beckoned to me.

"Charlotte, come in for a moment."

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