Chapter 8
This time, I didn’t freeze up or blow up. I just pulled out my phone.
“Cool. Then you can explain that to the police.”
***
+25 BONUS
I hadn’t come to pick a fight-but I was ready if he started one.
The second I actually dialed the emergency number, Derrick panicked. He lunged over, yanked the phone from my hand, and hung up. “Yara, are you crazy?”
“I’m not. I just wanna see if the law agrees with you.”
He wasn’t used to this version of me-calm, firm, not backing down. And it rattled him.
His mouth tightened. “Alright, enough. I know you’re mad about Molly. Starting tomorrow, I won’t see her alone anymore, okay? And the wedding-I’ll book it. Right now.”
He pulled out his phone. “I’ve been looking at this wedding planning company. I was gonna talk to you about it after the trip. Look.”
He held out his screen, showing some chat with customer service.
I glanced at it.
Yeah, he’d actually been planning a wedding.
But one message popped out-he’d asked if they offered blue-themed dresses and suits.
Blue. Molly’s favorite.
And he knew I hated that color. I’d told him before-flat out.
So really, who was this wedding for? I didn’t even have to ask.
I let out a cold laugh. “My flight’s tonight. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving. I left the house key in the mailbox. Don’t contact me unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Didn’t wait for a reply. I just turned and walked out.
Right as I opened the door, Molly practically fell in-clearly eavesdropping.
“Sorry, Mr. Cromwell, Yara-I just got worried you were arguing because of me, so I…”
She looked all flustered, eyes wide and pitiful. “Yara, I heard you’re leaving because of me. Please don’t. Mr. Cromwell really loves you. He can’t live without you. I’m sorry. I’ll resign today, okay?”
She grabbed a blank sheet off Derrick’s desk and started pretending to write a resignation letter.
I couldn’t help it–I laughed.
But Derrick didn’t see through her. He rushed over, snatched the paper and pen from her like some knight in shining armor.” This has nothing to do with you. You’re innocent. If anyone should leave, it’s not you.”
Molly blinked dramatically. “But if Yara goes… what’ll happen to the company?”
“I don’t believe the company can’t run without her.”
Then he turned and gave me a cold, pointed look.
1/2
+25 BONUS
Maybe Molly’s offer to resign shook something loose in him, because suddenly, he didn’t bother trying to stop me.
“Yara, think it through. The company’ll be fine without you. But once you’re out, good luck finding a boss who treats you better than I did. You wanna leave, then-”
I didn’t stick around for the rest.
I walked out.
His voice chased me down the hall. “Yara Yenford, don’t come crawling back!”
I never would.
That night, I left for the airport with just my luggage and flew straight to Inglane.
Professor Harrington had already set everything up. By the next day, I was officially back in research, finally picking up the dream I’d left behind.
Back then, Derrick said he liked robotics. So I’d picked it as my major. Threw myself into it for him.
