Chapter 2

I kept my voice calm and responded, "I'll quit, sir," despite the fact that knots were beginning to form in my stomach. Before handing in my resignation letter, I took a moment to compose myself and felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over me.

Mr. Crimson raised his eyebrows as he read the letter's contents and stared at me in disbelief. He frowned, and his usually friendly gaze did the same. He opened his mouth to reply but swiftly closed it again.

He stumbled, looking up at me with a combination of confusion and uncertainty in his eyes. "I...I don't understand," he said. "Do you find anything that is upsetting you lately? Simply explain the situation to me, and I will take appropriate action." he added.

I shook my head, my determination unwavering. My tone became a little more kind as I addressed Mr. Crimson and said, "I am grateful for everything you and the company have done for me." I paused. "However, I have come to a decision that it is time for me to pursue new opportunities,"

Mr. Crimson let out a long sigh as he ran his fingers over his increasingly silvery hair. He said with a somber tone, "Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed," as he attempted to explain his feelings. “You have made a significant contribution to the team, and your presence will be sorely missed by all of us.”

After saying my goodbyes to Mr. Crimson, I started walking in the direction of the exit. As I made my way into the corridor, I became aware of an assembly of my coworkers who were gathered in a circle and having a conversation with one another.

As I got closer to them, they stopped what they were doing and turned to face me, showing me that they were sympathetic to my plight.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're going to leave us, Zara. I'll miss you so much.” One of them stated, with a pained expression on their face, "We are going to miss you very much."

I could sense the insincerity in her voice, and knew that she was just putting on a show for the others. Some of them had always been envious of my success, and were probably thrilled that their rival was finally leaving the company.

"Thank you, it's been a great opportunity to have you as my colleagues ," I politely answered despite the fact that I knew their warmth was only a facade. "It has been great working with you all," I added.

I couldn't help but feel disappointed with my coworkers as I made my way towards the exit of the building. I got the impression that we were friends, but in truth, they were simply envious of my achievements. I was mistaken.

After a somewhat unremarkable round of farewells, I hastily made my escape from the building, and I was surprised to find that I was filled with a sense of release and happiness. Before I left, I did not imagine that leaving that place would bring such a significant feeling of calm. I am so glad I did not make that assumption.

When I thought back on my time working at the company, I realized that I had been so concentrated on my job that I had been oblivious to the hostility that was developing around me because I had been so focused on my work. But today, as I walked out of the building for the very last time, I had a sensation of independence and liberty.

It was time for me to leave the company in order to pursue new chances elsewhere, where I would be free from the poisonous atmosphere and negative energy that had enveloped me there.

The idea of having to put up with the fake grins and fake sobs of my coworkers has left me feeling depleted and uninterested in the situation. As a consequence of this, as I left the building, I was overcome with a profound sense of relief, and I did not have any sentiments of shame or regret.

The work itself was fine at my former job, and I was appropriately compensated for my efforts. However, I ultimately decided to quit due to the unfavorable dynamics among a few of my coworkers.

On occasion, I overheard them speaking about me in a negative light. For instance, one day, as I walked into the break room, I overheard two colleagues talking about me.

"She got the project again," one of them said in a tone that clearly conveyed her displeasure.

The other colleague chimed in with a dismissive comment, "What's new anyway? She always gets the projects. She's not even giving chances to others."

I entered the break room as if I heard nothing. Their snide remarks and belittling comments were a sharp contrast to the warm greeting I received upon entering the room. As they looked up and saw me, their faces quickly turned into friendly smiles and they began to tease me about treating them to dinner.

"Hey there, big shot! Congrats on sealing that deal," my colleague, Ella, exclaimed with a grin. "Looks like you owe us a fancy dinner now!"

I couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment at their sudden shift in behavior. Just moments ago, they were talking shit about me, and now they were acting as if they were my biggest supporters. It was clear to me that their congratulatory words were nothing more than a cover-up for their true feelings.

"Thanks, guys," I replied with a forced smile. "I'll make sure to treat you all to dinner one of these days."

As they continued to tease me about the dinner, I couldn't help but wonder if their sudden friendliness was just a means to get on my good side. It was a reminder to always be wary of people's true intentions and not to let temporary reactions sway my judgment.

I felt hurt and demoralized by their comments, as I had worked hard to earn those projects and succeed in my job. I knew that competition in the workplace was normal, but their negativity was unproductive and demotivating.

As I continued working in the company, I noticed that my colleagues began to harbor negative feelings towards me. They would often rant to each other about how I always seemed to get the best projects and opportunities, while they were left with scraps.

At first, I tried to ignore their comments and focus on my work. But as time went on, their resentment towards me only grew stronger. It became clear to me that their negativity was impacting not only their own well-being, but also the morale of the entire team.

As I listened to them rant about their frustrations, I realized that the best course of action would be for me to leave the company. It was clear that my presence was causing more harm than good, and I didn't want to be the cause of any further animosity among my colleagues.

Leaving the company was a difficult decision, but it was the right one. It will allow my colleagues to move forward without the constant reminder of their own perceived shortcomings, and it allows me to pursue new opportunities where my skills and talents would be appreciated and valued.