Chapter 7 She's Resigning

Benson's words hung in the air, reverberating through the office like a slap. Outside the door, coworkers froze in shock. Sierra was a senior figure who had been with the company since its inception, tirelessly working alongside Benson to help close some of their biggest deals. And wasn't she supposed to be his girlfriend? The one everyone assumed he was about to marry? Meanwhile, Sophie was a fresh college graduate who couldn't even draft a proper document. What right did she have to be on the same level as Sierra, let alone take her office? The employees felt a pang of sympathy for Sierra. They expected her to stand up for herself and to fight back. But to their surprise, she didn't argue. Instead, she calmly started packing up her belongings. Her silence only fueled Benson's anger. He pointed toward the cubicles outside, his voice sharp. "Then go work over there!" Sierra didn't flinch. She maintained her composure and carried her belongings to the open-plan workspace. It didn't matter to her where she worked, she had already made up her mind to resign. From the sidelines, Sophie could barely contain her joy, though she masked it behind an expression of hesitant disbelief. Tugging lightly on Benson's sleeve, she asked softly, "Mr. Gray, are you really giving this office to me?" "Yeah," Benson replied with a curt nod. But even as he answered, his gaze drifted toward the outer office, where Sierra had taken a seat. Sophie was unable to suppress her excitement. Pointing to the muted gray walls, she asked with feigned innocence, "Mr. Gray, I don't like this color. It's too dull. Can I have it redecorated in pink?" "Sure. It's yours now. Do whatever you want with it." That office had been Sierra's for three years. Everything in it—from the large desk and the couch to the smallest plants and decorative pieces—had been carefully chosen by her. Now that Sophie wanted to replace it all, he didn't believe Sierra could keep her composure through this. But to his surprise, Sierra didn't react. She kept her head down, focused on her work as if nothing had happened. Benson let out a low, frustrated laugh. Fine. She just had to keep this up, didn't she? He had been planning to make up for last night's disaster by organizing another proposal for her this weekend, but clearly, there was no point anymore. By late morning, Sierra finally finished the pile of documents she had been working on. Stretching her sore neck, she stood up to get a drink of water. But before she could move, someone stepped up and handed her a latte. "Ms. Shaw, we're on your side. Mr. Gray has gone way too far this time!" Another colleague leaned in, speaking in a low voice. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to force Sophie out." Sierra offered them a grateful smile. "Thank you, but there's no need. I'll be leaving the company soon anyway." Her words sent a ripple of shock through her colleagues. Why? The company was on the verge of going public. Leaving now would be like handing over all of her hard work on a silver platter to someone else. But Sierra simply shook her head, her expression calm and unconcerned. She had never truly enjoyed running a business. For years, she had stayed in this world only because she wanted to remain by Benson's side. When Sierra was graduating, her professor had tried time and again to persuade her to continue her studies. But she had stubbornly refused, disappointing those who had believed in her potential. Now, she was determined to find herself again, to pick up the dream she had abandoned all those years ago. Seeing the resolve in her eyes, her coworkers decided not to push her any further. Even though she had completely lost faith in Benson, Sierra couldn't deny the pang of reluctance she felt about leaving behind the colleagues she had worked alongside day in and day out. "Tonight, dinner's on me. Let's treat it as a farewell," she announced with a smile. She booked the farewell dinner at the most luxurious restaurant in Oceanea City. The table was adorned with various dishes, while an entire row of champagne bottles stood ready to be opened. As soon as the glasses were raised, the atmosphere grew lively, though a few of Sierra's longtime coworkers couldn't help but tear up. "Ms. Shaw, we still can't believe this is happening. You don't deserve this, Sophie completely took advantage of the situation!" one of them said. "Mr. Gray must be blind. That Scott woman is nothing but a pretender. How could she ever compare to you, Ms. Shaw?" another chimed in. Sierra lifted her glass, her smile lighthearted but steady. "Alright. Let's not talk about things that ruin the mood. I'm about to leave, so let's focus on something happier." Just as she raised her glass to take a sip, a firm hand grabbed her wrist from behind. A familiar voice, laced with anger, cut through the lively chatter. "Sierra, what's this I hear about you leaving?"