Chapter 13

TESSA'S POV

Long after he was gone, his words still hauntingly remained in my head while the mocking tone still echoed within my silent apartment.

‘Coward.’

‘Running away when things get tough.’

Standing square in my living room, staring at the closed door while his voice ran over and over in my head-he knew just where to hit, didn't he-for the first time it wasn't Damien's words that cut but rather the truth in them.

I'd been running. Not just from him, but from everything: from Aiden, from my job, from the whole mess my life had turned into. Somewhere, deep inside of me, I knew that couldn't happen anymore, that I couldn't keep letting other people, Damien, Aiden, or anyone else keep calling the shots in my life.

I was done running.

---

I strode into the office next morning, not at all like it had been all these days; my step steely and determined, resignation clutched in my gut. Well, this just wasn't going to be the end of that story. Nobody was going to take this job away from me without a fight, least of all Aiden.

It was as though I had never ridden in that elevator all my life. Coming out into the same hall that would lead me to Aiden's office, my heart abuzz and heavy, weighed me down with every step. Squaring my shoulders, holding my head high, I forged further.

I knocked before pushing the door opened.

Aiden sat behind his desk, his arms crossed over his chest; his eyes already set on me, as if he knew I would be coming back. Cold and unyielding, even his eyes raked over me without pause or words. He said nothing-just watched me with that unreadable expression he'd mastered over the years.

I closed the door behind me and didn't let his silence cow me. "I want to retract my resignation," I said with surety.

Aiden arched an eyebrow over my request, finding it an amusing one. "You want to come back?

I nodded and took one step forward. "I made the mistake of leaving. I was emotional and I acted impulsively. But this is my job and I'm not going to let you or anyone else push me out."

Aiden's eyes narrowed slightly as he rounded his desk, closing space between us. His towering height seemed to shrink the room; yet I refused to shrink under his gaze.

"You think you can just walk back in here, Tessa?" His voice came low, controlled, but beneath the words was an edge-a challenge.

"You left yourself and refused my offer to come back , what makes you think I would let you waltz right back whenever you feel like it?"

"I am not asking for a favor," I returned this time, unmoving. "I have spent years here. I have paid my dues. I let my emotions get the better of me, but that takes nothing away from how good I am at my job."

Aiden chuckled-that is, a laugh that wasn't funny-shook his head. "Emotions, huh? That's what we're calling it now?

I growled under my breath, letting boiling rage rise upwards. "I'm not here to revisit old disputes. I am here to do my job."

His eyes sparked near black as a deadly tone shrouded his voice. "You're here because you don't know what you want, Tessa. One minute you're running, the next you're crawling back. It's pathetic.”

The words stung, but I refused to show it. I swallowed the lump in my throat and faced him square. "I'm not crawling back. I'm standing up for myself."

Aiden's jaw tensed, and for a second, I almost thought I saw something-a flicker of surprise perhaps, something else flash in his eyes. Then it was gone.

“You think you're standing up for yourself?" he said, cold as ice. "You can't even make up your mind about what you want."

I breathed in deeply and my anger evened out. "I know what I want. I want my job back."

Aiden shifted closer, overwhelming as he towered over me. "And what makes you think you deserve it after walking out like that?

I didn't move. "Because I deserve to. I have done the work, and you know it."

He stared at me-that is, that was how it felt-his face unreadable. Then he shook his head and heaved a sigh. "You are unbelievable."

I folded my arms across my chest. "Perhaps, but I will not leave without an answer.”

Aiden's eyes fixed to mine, bad omen-unwavering, unforgiving. For that fleeting moment, I felt I'd finally, finally reached him-he would step aside and let me in. Then a vicious hitch twisted his lips and he shook his head.

"No."

The word landed like a fist to the solar plexus. I blinked. "Wha-

Aiden didn't flinch to let the smile falter. "You heard me. No. I'm not letting you come back."

I had taken one step back, and my heart was racing. "But-"

"You walked out, Tessa. You quit. And I'm not going to let you treat this company like your own personal revolving door. You don't get to leave and come back whenever the mood strikes.".

This was a cut deep and rendering me speechless at that very moment. I did expect resistance, yes; but this? This was far more from what I had expected.

I couldn't believe it. "You can't be serious."

Oh, I am dead serious," Aiden said the condescension dripping from his voice like syrup. "This is no sort of game, Tessa. You do not get to quit one day and show up the next, expecting things to just go back to normal."

I swallowed hard as the weight of his words landed deep within my chest. "So that is it? You are going to let me go?"

Aiden's face was like granite then, and he took a step closer to me, his voice low, dangerous. "I'm doing what is best for the company. You're the one who chose to leave. Now live with the consequences."

I felt the prick of tears in the corners of my eyes, and I willed them away, refusing to let him see me break. "You don't mean that."

"Oh, I do," he said icily. "I'm not letting you back in."

I stared at him, my head spiking. This had to be some kind of joke. I couldn't get fired like this. Not after everything. Not after I'd finally grown a backbone.

"You're making a mistake," I whispered, shaking.

Aiden's eyes went glacial; his lips curled into a cruel smile. "No, Tessa, the mistake was yours."

My head spun, my heart plummeting to my stomach as his words hit home. I'd come ready to fight for my job, for my place. But now, here, facing Aiden, I knew I had lost before the fight started.

I opened my mouth-to speak, to say anything, to say something-but nothing escaped. My chest grew tight, heavy with my decision.

Then Aiden stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as his eyes never left mine. "Now get out of my office."

My heart screeched to a halt, but I didn't move.

He lifted a cool, steady eyebrow. "You heard me, Tessa. Leave.”

Forcing my legs to turn around, a deep hoarse voice stopped me from behind, “What's going on here?”