Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
JACKSON
“You’re not good enough for me, Jackson.”
Isabelle glances at me with a vacant stare, the adoration I always see on her face completely gone.
A piercing pain tears through my heart. “What did you say?”
She folds her arms. “I said, you’re not good enough for me,” she repeats, each word a stab to my chest.
I reach forward to touch her face, but she pushes my hand away.
“Oliver was a better boyfriend than you—”
My eyes snap open at my alarm ringing, and I wake up with sweat lining my body and my breathing erratic.
Fuck. It was just a nightmare.
Isabelle and I are okay.
It takes me a few minutes to collect myself before I get out of bed and head to my bathroom.
When I glance at my reflection in the mirror, I look like shit—dark under-eye circles, a face that looks hollow, empty. But that’s the least of my problems right now.
This past week, I haven’t stopped thinking about what happened, a million questions and worries gnawing at me.
My sleep has been poor, eating feels like an arduous chore, and I’ve been thinking about my sister.
I haven’t brought myself to tell Luce the truth yet.
It feels wrong to conceal it from her, and I should tell her, but if I do, what’s going to happen?
She’s going to be devastated and heartbroken.
She’ll have to share the burden of the news with me.
And … would she see me differently because of it?
Isabelle has stayed with me at my apartment every day and been there for me while I struggled with even the most mundane tasks, like laundry. Last night, she reluctantly left when she had something urgent to finish for her business, and I told her I’d be fine alone.
My stomach twists with guilt at the reminder that she’s had to take care of me like that.
Splashing some cold water on my face, I shake off my thoughts and remind myself of the envelope that’s sitting on my desk and the major thing I’m going to do today.
Last night, while lying awake, restless for the majority of time, I was contemplating a dilemma. And I’ve reached my decision.
After brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I grab the envelope with the letter I put together last night at three a.m. and head out the door. I’m going to do this sooner or later, so I might as well rip the Band-Aid off and get it over and done with.
When I step inside Carter Marketing Solutions’ office for the first time a week later, everything has changed. The atmosphere is strangely quiet and tense, and my team stares at me, wide-eyed, when I enter my office and promptly shut the door.
A knock resounds on my door.
“Come in,” I say.
The door opens, revealing Aaron, who enters my office. There’s a tentative smile on his face. “Hey. How are you holding up?”
I drag a hand through my hair. “Just taking it day by day.”
He glances at the envelope in my hand. “Are you sure? Like, absolutely certain? It’s a big decision.”
“Yes.” I surprise myself with how calm I sound. “I’m certain.”
“Okay.” Aaron nods. “If you feel it’s the right decision for you, I’ll support you, and you can count on me to keep things running here.”
“Thanks, Aaron,” I say. “And thanks for taking my call in the middle of the night.”
He flashes a grin. “Aside from Jen, you’re the only person I’ll sacrifice a good night’s sleep for.”
Giving notice and stepping down as CEO isn’t something I take lightly.
Dad handed his legacy to me and trusted me with his company, and this whole time, I was convinced it was the right thing to do—following his footsteps.
But after everything that’s happened this past week, I’ve realized …
if I stay at Carter Marketing Solutions, I won’t be staying true to myself.
If Dad were still here, perhaps he’d be disappointed at my decision, but somehow, a part of me wants to think he’d also give me his support.
I always strived to have the perfect grades and perfect résumé, to be an all-arounder. It left me trapped in a box, a box that could contain nothing but what Dad and my teachers wanted of me.
Now, it’s time for me to step out of that box.
I’ll give the company three months’ notice and find work as a business consultant for an architecture firm while I apply for grad school—architecture school. I’ll finally be staying true to myself and following my own dreams, just like Isabelle.
It’s her nonwork day today, and I’m meeting her at The Daily Brew in about half an hour. I plan on stopping by the bakery to buy her favorite strawberry jam doughnuts before then to celebrate. My muscles relax, warmth spreading across my chest. She’ll be proud of me.
“I’ll leave you to it then,” Aaron says. He gives me a pat on the shoulder before leaving.
I take a few deep breaths. I can do this. I have to do this.
Footsteps echo as Andrew enters my office, shutting the door after him. He tugs his tie, lines of tension bracketing his face.
“Where have you been the past week? I’ve had to take on all your work.”
My jaw clenches. “I said I needed time off. I wasn’t aware I had to report my whereabouts to you.”
Andrew runs a hand through his hair. “I’ve been worried about you, Jackson.”
I almost laugh at the irony. “So now you’ve decided to start acting like a father?”
He exhales, taking a step closer to me. “Jackson, please.”
“Why did you do it?” I blurt out suddenly. I didn’t plan on asking, but I need to know. “Why did you and my mom betray my dad?”
The silence in the air is palpable. After what feels like an eternity, Andrew lets out a heavy breath. “Eric often worked late hours when he first started his business.”
“The same company you currently work at. How ironic is that, Andrew?”
“Eric and Suzanne were going through the first rough patch in their marriage, and they weren’t close,” he continues, ignoring my statement.
“One day, Suzanne had another fight with Eric about him prioritizing his work over her, and that same night, I ran into her at a bar. I was going through a breakup of my own, and I suppose we were both trying to comfort each other.” His head hangs low. “It … led to a one-night stand.”
My grip on the envelope tightens until my knuckles turn white, my blood boiling and every muscle in my body tensing.
“Suzanne never told me you were my son. All those years, I never knew. It was Eric who reached out shortly before he passed away. He said he was willing to forgive me and offered me a chance to get closer with you by working with you here.”
My pulse elevates. Dad was so selfless, even after being betrayed like that.
I rip the envelope I’m holding in half, letting the pieces fall to my desk. “You deserve an Oscar, Andrew. Regardless, you won’t need to worry about me any longer.”
Andrew goes still. “What do you mean?”
“I’m quitting.”
His eyes widen. “You’re acting irrationally and with your emotions, Jackson. I don’t want you to regret this. If it’s because of me—”
“It’s not just about you,” I interject, disheveling my hair.
Andrew shakes his head. “Let’s talk about it,” he pleads. “Don’t do this. Please, I need you here.”
“There’s nothing to talk about!” I snap.
For fuck’s sake, I don’t owe this man—who I refuse to ever call my dad—anything or any more of my time.
Brushing past him, I storm out the door, realizing several people have gathered outside. Aaron’s also there. He gives me an encouraging nod, and I take a deep breath, calming my racing heart.
“Hey, team. I know this is very sudden, but for personal reasons, I’ve decided to step down, effective immediately,” I say.
“Aaron will be acting CEO in the interim, so rest assured, you’re all in good hands.
Thank you for your hard work. I’ve enjoyed working with you all, and thank you for everything you’ve done for me and the company. ”
Aaron’s mouth falls open, but everyone else gives me warm smiles as they walk up to me, shaking my hand and wishing me well.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Andrew walk off, but I don’t spare him a second glance.
Aaron’s the last person to come up to me. “Effective immediately?”
I grimace. “I’m sorry. I … I don’t think I can stay any longer.”
Aaron shakes his head. “Don’t be. I’ll survive. I’m proud of you, man. Now go be an architect.”
I give him a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
My phone dings with a new text.
Bella
Hey, I’m at The Daily Brew
Shit. I completely lost track of time.
“You okay?” Aaron asks.
“I have to go,” I quickly say. “I’ll work on putting together a handover document for you, and we can chat about it.”
Aaron gives me a reassuring nod. “Okay.”
I send Isabelle a reply to apologize and let her know I’m on my way before racing down to the lobby, dashing out the revolving doors.
Dodging office workers and tourists, I sprint to The Daily Brew, ignoring the humid heat that sticks to my skin, my pride from earlier corroding into something ugly.
I was meant to only give notice today and stay for another three months to assist with the handover and transition planning. Be someone who’s professional, responsible. Instead, I stormed out like some emotional intern.
Unemployed.
The reality—my reality—hits me harder than Andrew’s fucked-up confession from earlier.
I mean, sure, I still have my portion of shares in Carter Marketing Solutions, but I can’t rely on just that. I’m supposed to—
Architecture school.
I haven’t even applied for it yet, let alone received any offers. What if my applications are rejected? Even if I’m accepted, I’ll be back to being a student, searching for internships, then graduate positions, slowly climbing up the corporate ladder, starting over …
It’s not that I didn’t contemplate these things before quitting, but what if …
what if I’m not cut for it? What if I just blew up my entire life for something I’m mediocre at?
Yes, I’ve watched countless architecture documentaries, read many books, but that’s vastly different from actually pursuing architecture as a career.
I’ve never even tried sketching a building or floor plan or anything of that nature before.