Chapter. 23

Returning to Martin Enterprises felt less like coming home and more like being called to the principal’s office. Stress knotted my stomach. I tightened my grip on my small carry-on suitcase as the elevator carried me to the top floor. The doors slid open and I wheeled myself out, almost not daring to breathe.

“Alina!” Cora shuffled from around her desk to give me a hug. I froze before relaxing into it. “How are you, sweetie? Oooh, did you go on vacation? Rest up, come back refreshed? This bag is probably full of souvenirs—I just hope you brought me a snack! You look great!”

I cringed, shame-faced. Maybe I should’ve brought them something as a parting gift besides envelopes with cards and sentimental messages…

“No, I wasn’t on vacation,” I said. “I left.”

“Left…?” Cora blinked, her glasses magnifying her expectant, puzzled gaze.

“The company,” I clarified, with as much neutrality as I could. “I quit.”

Cora froze, her smile fading to horrified shock. “Your father said you needed a break. I thought...” She sniffled and rubbed a knuckle under her glasses.

“Cora, don’t cry!” I insisted, hugging her tighter. “I mean, I’m hoping this won’t be forever. But I’m not a little girl anymore. I have to work with people who haven’t helped changed my diapers.”

“So, you’ll be back, then?” Her eyes sparkled with hope.

“I—I might. But first, I need to clear out my office.”

Sulking, but nodding, Cora returned to her desk and grabbed a tissue. “This feels like moving my oldest daughter into her first dorm room all over again.”

When I’d gone to school for the first time, I’d cried for the entirety of my first night away from home—but not because I’d miss my dad. I’d still had the internship at the company and I could check in on everyone on the weekends. It was my recent breakup that had sent me to the tissue box.

I rubbed Cora’s arm in consolation before heading to my office. The wilting flowers on my desk had been cleared away in favor of a stack of papers. The post-it on top read, For when you get back! — Todd with a giant smiley face. He couldn’t be that naive. I’d already set up an auto-reply for all my emails. He had to know I wasn’t taking on any more projects at Martin Enterprises. Not until Damon and I could buy out the company.

I cleared out the rest of my office, taking the special engraved pens and planners people had gotten me for past birthdays, trashing old memos, wiping everything down for… Todd? A future self? Whoever would get this spot next.

“Alina?” My father knocked, then came in. “It’s good to have you back. I—” He scanned the room, staring at my open luggage. The color drained from his face. “What’s this?”

I wiped my sweaty palms on my trousers. “I’m packing up, like I said I would.”

His lips thinned, but he said nothing. Maybe that was for the best.

I turned around to take my “Martin Enterprises Superstar” plaque off the wall.

“Do you hate me that much?” he whispered, his slumped form much more like the father I’d lost in the other timeline than the healthy man I’d left here last week.

“I don’t hate you, Dad! I’m not even that mad.” Hesitating, I took out a memo pad and began writing two last goodbye messages. “You’ve always trusted your instincts and stuck with your decisions. While I don’t agree with your reasoning for not giving me a management position, I can’t fault you for managing how you feel is best.”

“So why would you leave me?” His voice cracked.

“Because it’s best for both of us. You deserve to have leadership you believe in, and I deserve to lead somewhere that believes in me.”

Once I phrased it like that, Dad drew his head back like he didn’t recognize me.

“We can still see each other,” I added. “Weekly, monthly dinners. I know you’re busy, so just keep me updated. If you need some time—”

He shook his head. “It’s not the same. I’m used to seeing you almost every day!”

“You survived the past two weeks okay.” I smiled, trying not to let my own voice waver at the thought of him passing within the next few years. “Besides, this will give you more time to train Todd, take care of yourself, go to the doctor—”

“And what will you do? Apply for jobs?”

“I already have one,” I admitted, closing up my luggage.

“Wh-where?!” Dad grabbed one of my awards from my luggage and held it back, as if that would stop me from leaving. “Have you changed fields entirely? All that school and experience…”

“I’m happy. I’m well-paid.” I kissed Dad’s cheek and squeezed his sturdy shoulder, looking deep into his confused eyes to reassure him. “I love you, Dad. I love Martin Enterprises, too.”

On my way out, I dropped off Todd’s paperwork and my personalized message at his office, knowing from an earlier schedule that he’d be stuck in a meeting. Hopefully, with those few hints about how to navigate the company’s potential upcoming dip in profits, he could handle things with my dad long enough that I could swoop back in and salvage them.

Cora was on the phone, but she waved a tearful goodbye as I dropped off the rest of the letters.

Even though I was dragging a suitcase behind me, a weight was lifted off my shoulders as I made my way back to the Gibbons Group. Back in their building, I smiled at Marianne, waved at Damon, jerked my chin at Hyunsoo, and rolled up to my new office with its stellar view.

This would be my home, for now. Time to make it mine.

I brought out my favorite planners, mugs, markers, and pens, washing everything that needed it before loading up my bookshelf with useful information. But it was still missing something. I couldn’t exactly hang up my old company photos and plaques… so, what was it?

Someone knocked twice.

“Come in!” I said, fishing through my bag for anything I might’ve missed.

“Wow, the room is really coming together,” Damon said.

“Thanks!” Nothing else of use was in there, so I rolled the luggage slightly in front of my chair. “What do you think of me using this as a footrest until the end of the day?”

“I think it’s genius, but I’d much prefer to keep you on your toes. How do you feel about helping me prepare a few pitches?”

“Ah, I’d love it! Do you have a project binder? Summations?” I clicked my pen and got out the memo pad.

“Yeah, uh, but, before that…” He closed the door and sat on the edge of my desk, quiet and sincere when he asked, “Are you doing okay?”

No one had really asked me that since I quit. Or been hired.

I smiled, running my thumb over the smooth pen that sealed this proposal in this first place. “Never better.”