Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 77: Say Goodbye

Chapter 77: Say Goodbye

It was a Friday, and it was raining, in fact, it had been doing so all day. The sky was a dull grey and showering the world with nothing but ice-cold rain. For many it was an inconvenience, it meant that they would be forced to stay in that night, unable to go anywhere.

But for Emily Molson, the weather was just right. It perfectly summed up how she was feeling.

Dark, cold, and depressed.

She had been sitting at her desk all day, feeling like her world was about to end, and in a way, it was. It really was.

Two weeks prior, she had finished off the last of her tea, and she had been suffering ever since. Now there was nothing to soften her nightmares for her and she was feeling each and every single one. Some nights she drowned in freezing waters, others there was fabric shoved down her throat until it took all of her breath away.

Her exhaustion was all the more pronounced, her eyes hurting, her head aching. Even her back was in pain. All of the contorting that she did late at night to try, and get comfortable not helping matters.

At the rate that she was going, it was only a matter of time before she messed up in a big way, especially at work. And so Emily had been considering something that she had been avoiding before.

Quitting her job.

But it was easier said than done. She had been going over it again and again in her mind, second-guessing herself.

’I have to go before I make a mistake that will ruin me for life’ She would think, and then in the next instant, her thoughts would be pulling her in a different direction.

’I have been working here a long time, it is the best job I’ve ever had. I can’t just leave.’ But now, looking at the raindrops flowing down the window panes. Yet another day coming to an end, Emily pulled her laptop closer and began to type.

Dear CEO Haven, there that was a perfectly good beginning to a resignation letter. Blowing out a breath, she began typing in earnest.

Please accept this letter as my official notice of resignation from Haven Group. The resignation is effective immediately. I am truly grateful for the opportunities that working here has granted me, and for the various skills that I have acquired.

I cannot thank you enough, for allowing me to work as your personal assistant for the past two years.

Sincerely,

Emily Molson

There she had done it.

Emily looked from the typed letter to the door that led to Derek’s office.

"This is the only way, she told herself as she pressed began printing the letter. She could have just sent it via email, but that would have been too impersonal. So once it was printed, Emily took the letter and stood. She took off her clearance card and left it on her desk. Then she leaned over and opened up her email.

Attaching the letter, she sent it to Human Resources and left the little icon spinning, an indication that the letter was being processed. If she had stayed until it finished sending, she might have been tempted to just leave without giving Derek a heads up, so with the email still loading, Emily made what would be her last trip to Derek’s office, at least as his PA. She knocked once and he called for her to enter.

"Emily, are you off for the weekend?" He sounded tired, but he was still making an effort to ask after her.

Whatever it was that was weighing him down so, Emily felt bad that she was about to add to it. But she had to quit, for both their sakes, she could not keep fighting anymore. And a CEO with an underperforming PA would not last long in the corporate jungle.

She had to do this. Pasting a smile that felt way too watery on her face, Emily answered his question.

"Yes, I am leaving for the weekend..." She took a breath, willing herself to continue. To finish off what she had come to say. But the words would not come. They had made their way from her mind and then got lodged somewhere in her throat, refusing to enter her mouth. But she had to tell him, she had to. Otherwise, he would hear it from HR. And she did not want to do something so cruel to him.

It was going to hurt but it had to come from here.

She must have been standing on the same spot for too long without saying anything because Derek stopped working on whatever it was that he had been typing and gave her his full attention.

"I did not forget anything right? No function this evening, no late-night business deals?" There was a worried crease on his forehead now, his lips pursed as he wrecked his brains, trying to figure out if he had forgotten anything.

"No, Derek, your schedule is clear for the evening," And it hurt to say. This would be the last time that she would ever know exactly what it was that he was supposed to be doing at any given point in time.

Oh.

And just that little fact really brought it home for her. She put a hand over her heart, a sharp pain passing through her chest.

The cool, professional mask that she’d had on since she had written the letter cracked and fell away. Her heartache coming to the surface.

It must have been devastating to see because Derek pushed his chair back and stood almost immediately, his eyes wide with worry.

"Emily, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Is it your mother?" He asked as he came around his desk to stand in front of her. His hands coming up and then going down. He was clearly torn between the very human urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her, and the need to be professional and keep his distance.

"Are you alright?" He settled for asking again, his arms now firmly at his sides, his hands balled into fists, like he fully intended to fight whatever it was that had caused her sadness.

Wiping a tear, Emily gave him one more sad smile.

"I am fine, Derek," She told him, finding herself needing to focus at a point on his nose to avoid looking into his worried green eyes.

"You were right earlier, I am off for the weekend, and for all the other days after. I am not coming back Derek...I quit..."