Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I didn't slow down, and I certainly didn't look back.

My hand was already on the cold, heavy handle of the exit door.

"Elena!" Grant's voice went up an octave, vibrating with the irritation of being defied in public. "Stop right there! What the hell is wrong with you? Can't we talk about this privately?"

Privately? A cold, faint smirk touched my lips.

He had chosen to give me this "surprise" in front of the whole world, yet now he wanted to talk "privately"? Too late for that.

I pulled the door open.

The bright, sterile light of the hallway flooded in, a sharp contrast to the warm, fake glow of the party.

"Elena! Don't you dare walk out!" Grant was practically roaring now, a hint of panic slipping through his bravado. "If you leave, don't bother coming back! There's no place for you at Starry Tech anymore!"

That final threat snapped the very last thread of connection I had to him.

I didn't even bother to respond. I simply walked out.

The door groaned shut behind me, cutting off the noise, the stares, and Grant's pathetic rage. The hallway was empty and quiet, echoing only with my own footsteps.

When I stepped out of the hotel, the biting autumn wind hit my face, clearing the stagnant air of the ballroom from my lungs.

I took a deep breath, the cold air stinging my throat with a sense of clarity.

A black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided silently to the curb like a dark predator of the night.

The driver, dressed in a sharp suit, hopped out and opened the rear door with a respectful bow. "Miss Elena, your father sent me to collect you."

"Thank you, Arthur." I slid into the warm, leather interior and closed my eyes, sinking into the seat.

As the car pulled away, the city lights blurred into a stream of neon outside the window.

I took out my phone and looked at the call log.

My thumb hovered over a number I had ignored for three years. I didn't have it saved, but the digits were burned into my memory.

I typed a text and hit send.

「Grant: We're done. My resignation will be in your inbox shortly. Contact my assistant for the handover.」

Clean and final. No room for negotiation.

I blocked his number immediately, then called my assistant. "Jen, there's an encrypted folder on my drive labeled 'Handover.' The password is my birthday plus Grant's birthday in reverse. Inside, you'll find my resignation and the project lists. Sign them with my digital signature and send them to Grant and HR right now. Then, clear out my office. Pack my personal stuff and leave it with the doorman at my apartment. Once you're done, I'll double your severance pay."

Jen was clearly stunned, stammering for a few seconds. "O-okay, Elena! I'm on it right now!"

"Thanks." I hung up and tossed the phone aside.

I rolled down the window, letting the wind whip my hair, trying to blow away the last bit of resentment in my chest.

The car headed toward the western side of the city, eventually stopping in front of a massive, secluded estate. The heavy wrought-iron gates slid open without a sound.