Chapter 3

Alena POV:

The scent of stale coffee still clung to my clothes, a bitter reminder of my last act of servitude. But this time, it was different. This time, as I walked towards HR, there was a lightness in my step, a defiant purpose in my stride. The pain in my stomach was still there, a dull ache, but it was overshadowed by a fierce resolve.

The HR department, usually a sterile, hushed space, felt oddly welcoming. Ms. Jenkins, a kind-faced woman who had been with the firm longer than anyone, looked up from her computer, her expression softening when she saw me. "Alena, dear. What a surprise. Come in, come in."

I sat in the chair opposite her, my briefcase resting against my leg. "Ms. Jenkins," I began, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands. "I'm here to resign."

She blinked, her usually composed face showing a flicker of genuine shock. "Resign? Alena, are you serious? You just... you just missed out on junior partnership, I know, but I thought you were going to stay and fight for it next year." Her gaze held a knowing pity. Everyone knew about Brittany. Everyone knew about Blake.

"I'm serious," I confirmed, meeting her eyes. "Effective immediately."

She leaned forward, her voice low. "Does Blake know about this?"

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. "No. And he won't until it's done." I paused, then added, "If you could expedite the process, I'd be grateful."

Ms. Jenkins studied me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine. Then, a small, sad smile touched her lips. She nodded slowly. "I understand, Alena. Truly. You're one of the best, you know. An absolute asset to this firm. Blake... he's making a mistake he'll regret."

Her words were a balm to my raw nerves. I simply nodded, a tight lump forming in my throat. "Thank you, Ms. Jenkins."

She started typing, her fingers flying across the keyboard. The air filled with the quiet click-clack of the keys, a sound of finality. This was it. The official severing.

My phone buzzed, vibrating against my thigh. Blake. He was calling. Again. I ignored it. I had been ignoring him since I hit send on that single, defiant "No." He'd called three times, texted twice, each message growing progressively more demanding.

Ms. Jenkins finished her typing. She slid a form across the desk. "Just sign here, Alena. And your final paycheck will be processed by the end of the week."

I picked up the pen, my hand steady now. I signed my name, a flourish of freedom. It felt surprisingly good. Like shedding a heavy skin.

"Alena," Ms. Jenkins said, her voice gentle, "he's trying to reach you. He's been calling my office too, asking if I've seen you. He sounds... frantic."

I just shook my head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

As I stood to leave, my phone buzzed again, a new message. I glanced at the screen. It was Blake. "Alena, what the hell is going on? My assistant just told me you resigned. You can't be serious. Come to my office. Now. We need to talk. This is childish."

Childish. That was his favorite word for anything that challenged his control. He always thought he could smooth things over, offer a concession, a trinket, and I would fall back into line. He'd done it countless times. After the abortion, when I'd been a shell of myself, he'd bought me a diamond bracelet. "For being so understanding," he'd said. When I' d learned he' d taken a weekend trip with another associate for a "client meeting," he'd apologized profusely, calling it a "misunderstanding," and booked us a romantic getaway. I, always the hopeful fool, had always believed him. Always accepted his shallow gestures as genuine remorse.

But not this time. The nausea from earlier surged, but this time, it was pure disgust. The thought of his hands on me, his smooth words, his calculated apologies... it made my skin crawl.

He followed up with another text. "I'll make it right, Alena. Whatever it is. Name your price. We can go away this weekend. Just us. Like old times."

Like old times. He thought he could buy me back with a weekend trip and promises. He thought I was that easy to manipulate.

My gaze drifted to the wastebasket by Ms. Jenkins's desk. An old, crumpled candy wrapper lay at the bottom. It seemed fitting.

I typed a reply. One word. "Goodbye."

I hesitated, then added, "Don't contact me again." And I hit send.

That was it. The final cut. I had never refused to stay at his place when he asked, never truly shut him out. Not once in eight years.

My phone remained silent. For a long moment, an unnerving silence stretched between Ms. Jenkins and me. It felt like the entire firm held its breath.

Then, a sudden, unfamiliar thought struck me. He wasn't silent because he was angry. He was silent because he was shocked. He genuinely couldn't comprehend that I, Alena Taylor, his "free paralegal," his "damaged goods," had finally walked away. He still thought I was just throwing a tantrum, that I'd come crawling back. He still believed I was his.

He was in for a rude awakening.