ies as if nothing had changed. She wore a tailored sheath dress, her heels clicking with quiet a

ling better?" her assistant asked

arah," Averie replied, her

low hum of productivity. For three years, this had been her world, her passion. She had poured he

conceived, pitched, and led from a mere concept to a fully functional, multi-million dollar asset. It was the culminatio

ering a panoramic view of the city. The door was slig

the name of the p

Operations. He sounded worried. "Giving the Apex Project to Miss Francis... S

he sharp edges of the binder digging int

d with an arrogance she now recognized as his true nature. "Experience can be

sed, his loyalty admirable but futile. "She's poured her life in

lmost tangible. "She has no say in the matter. Everything she has, I gave her. Wi

? I don't care. She doesn't have the gut

tle her worth, her career, and her very identity, Averie felt the last,

vely trying to crush her spirit, to erase her

m in. She didn'

nts silent and precise, and w

out a moment's hesitation, she fed the Apex Project report into its hungry maw. The machi

e proprietary algorithms, the client contact lists, the strategic rollout pl

ngle, password-protected package. She attached the package to an email

leted every backup. She erased every trace of her work from the company's in

she was nothi

just how worthless the Ape

ffects fit into a single, small cardboard box. A framed photo of her and

her assistant, knocked on the door. "Averie?

Sarah. I'm

walked back to Julian's office

ed when he saw her, that same false, charming smile. "Darling, feelin

oject... after careful consideration, I've decided to let Stella take the lead from he

"Don't worry. I know how much work you've put in. I'll make

m her own project. An

felt a strange sense of detachment, as if she were watch

ed?" she asked,

lack of reaction. He had clearly

desk and placed a small, silver

r files," she said. "E

x, and walked toward the door. She pa

still unnervingly calm. "My resignation let

standing in stunned silence, a useless plastic drive on hi