Chapter 4

I went back to my desk and started packing.

The male coworkers who usually orbited around Madison were like rabid dogs, pointing at me and mocking me.

"Ryan, karma's finally caught up with you! Thinking you had a shot with Madison? Look in the mirror!"

"Exactly! Did you really think you were somebody? Without this company, you're nothing!"

"Ryan, let me tell you, open your eyes from now on. Not everyone is in your league to chase!" Derek looked smug, acting like he'd already won Madison over.

I glanced at him and smirked internally. This guy would wag his tail for days if Madison so much as looked at him.

"What, you got a problem?"

Derek saw I wasn't responding and got bolder. "Want me to teach you what self-awareness means?"

He walked toward me, looking like he wanted to pick a fight.

I'd been training in Muay Thai since I was a kid. Dealing with jerks like him was easy.

Before he got close, I kicked him.

"Ahhh!"

Derek screamed and collapsed, curling up like a shrimp on the ground.

"You... you hit me? You're dead! I won't let you get away with this!" He was still talking tough from the floor.

I looked down at him with contempt. "You? You think you're worth my time?"

I finished packing and left without looking back.

As I reached the door, Madison actually chased after me.

"Ryan, stop right there!"

She blocked my path. "It's not too late to regret this. If you get on your knees and apologize, I'll forgive you!"

She smiled smugly, acting like she had me cornered.

I found her laughable.

This woman really thought she was something special.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't hit women, but you better get out of my way."

"You..."

Madison glared at me furiously. "We'll see how you survive without a job. I'll make sure Blake blacklists you across the entire industry."

I turned and walked away, ignoring that lunatic.

When I got home, I called our business partners to pay them a visit and inform them of my resignation.

Sure enough, they all expressed interest in terminating their contracts.

A few days later, Blake called me, absolutely furious.

"Ryan! Did you do this on purpose?!"

His roar nearly burst my eardrum the moment I answered.

"Do what on purpose?" I asked coldly.

"Don't play dumb with me! Did you say something to those partners? Why are they all terminating their contracts?!" He was practically yelling.

"Heh."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Weren't you the one who said I was useless and would be nothing without the company? What's wrong? Now that they're pulling out, you're panicking?"

"You!" He was speechless.

"Who was it that said I was useless? Now you want to beg me? Too late!"

I let out all the frustration I'd been holding in.

"Ryan, don't push it! I'm telling you, if you come back now, I'll pretend nothing happened!" He was still being stubborn.

"Dream on!" I hung up.

Come back? In his dreams.

After this whole mess, I finally saw things clearly.

He never cared about me as a friend. If that's the case, I didn't need to coddle him anymore.