Page 97 of Exchange of Heart

He reached out and pulled me to his chest, kissing the top of my head. A moment later, I pulled back and stared up at him.

‘I mean it. I’m sorry. I won’t meddle, I won’t nag, I won’t do anything. It’s your life.’

He smacked my ass, earning a yelp. ‘Good. Now, go show Fuck-Face-Freddie what you’re made of.’

Red. That’s the colour I’d chosen today. Red lipstick, red dress, and a powerful stride that no doubt emitted a red aura.

‘Wow, Nora.’ Izzy admired my outfit.

‘Is Freddie in yet?’

‘Of course not.’ Izzy rolled her eyes. ‘Apparently his new role means he can waltz into the office whenever it pleases him these days.’

My fingers twisted like vines as my nerves started to get the better of me. If I didn’t do this soon, I wouldn’t do it at all. Mark’s voice echoed down the hall, and his assistant scampered from his door a moment later.

‘Right.’ My shoulders rolled back, chin lifted, legs back to parading.

My knuckles rapped the door three times before Mark boomed for me to come inside. Papers fluttered through the air like paper planes, his hair standing in awkward directions as though he’d raked his hands through it one too many times.

‘Er, is everything okay?’ I swivelled my head around his office and paused at the broken coffee mug on the side of his desk.

‘Fine, fine.’ He waved his hand through the air.

‘I, ah, wanted to, ah…’ my voice trailed off, losing confidence.

Then Mark did exactly what I needed him to do. He widened his eyes, tilted his head, and threw his hands out in front to gesture to me to hurry up. ‘Spit it out,’ he added for good measure.

‘I quit.’ The words barrelled from my mouth like a dart hitting its target.

Mark’s mocking eyes widened further with surprise. I wished they would fall out of his ridiculously large head and roll across the floor so I could kick them out the window. Tension melted from my body like butter dripping from toast. Drop by drop, my chest loosened. I should have done this years ago when he asked me to bring his car round front for him last year. Fucker.

‘You can’t quit,’ he bellowed.

If I was melted butter, he was ice. Frozen, hard, frigid.

‘Here’s my resignation letter.’ I held out the paper I’d handwritten last night by the bedside lamp in a last-minute burst of courage. ‘You’ll find my reasons listed, and I’ve taken the liberty of going over my contract and mentioning how I’m happy to continue working my last two weeks, starting from today.’

Each day of those weeks beckoned me with a bright light at the end of this dark tunnel I was finally escaping. I’d spent all morning researching Italian recipes to surprise Corey with the good news over dinner. No longer would I sit back and watch my dreams slip further away, not after the taste of success I’d had in Corey’s body. Management was in my blood, ready to show the world my capabilities.

‘You… When… How…’ Mark blubbered.

‘I’ll be at my desk should you need anything further from me.’ I blinked twice and stretched a grin over my face.

I hadn’t quite made it to my section, let alone my cubicle, before Mark stormed out of his office, my name echoing from wall to wall. White ends of paper stuck out from his closed fist where he’d scrunched my resignation in his hand.

‘You can’t do this, Nora. Dreyton counts on you.’ He stopped behind me, spit flying from his mouth with each word.

Those words were glitter in my bloodstream. I’d been waiting years to hear them. ‘Dreyton couldn’t possibly need me.’ I arranged my face in surprise. ‘You’ve got Freddie, after all.’

Mark’s nostrils flared enough to look like black holes that could suction anything in its path into oblivion. His cheeks went red, then his forehead, until his entire face turned to a large swollen balloon. ‘Is that what this is about? You want a promotion? Fine, take Freddie’s damn job. You can move your things in first thing tomorrow morning.’

I shook my head. Mark was a child throwing a tantrum, and I was the respectable adult telling him no, because that’s not how we behave. Not anymore. Not when I’d been propositioned by a new company. Corey was right – loyalty in companies like these would only float you so far, and I’d reached the end of this river.

‘Sorry, Mark. It’s unfortunate the company didn’t recognise my potential sooner, but I’m afraid I’m ready to move on and enter a company that respects me enough to acknowledge the work I put in,’ I said and shrugged.

As I turned to continue to my desk, Mark’s feet thundered down the hall in the opposite direction.

‘You didn’t.’ Izzy gasped.