Chapter 3

I looked at Ronnie. My expression didn't change.

"You called him here?"

Nick couldn't have known my address on his own.

Ronnie stood beside him, avoiding my eyes.

"Hernandez, Nick isn't who you think he is."

"There's been a misunderstanding. You two should talk it out."

I almost laughed despite myself.

"I spent two weeks on that event proposal. He deliberately removed my name from it. That's a misunderstanding?"

The project was mine. Nick was just assisting.

I'd worked late nights to finish it, and he'd deleted my version from the shared drive and submitted it as his own.

I confronted him directly, but I couldn't prove it.

The whole thing blew up at the office.

"Hernandez, you can't just bully me because I'm new."

"That proposal was clearly mine..."

Nick trailed off and exhaled slowly.

"Forget it. You're Ronnie's boyfriend. I don't want to make things worse between you two. Don't fight over me."

"I'll just take the blame. I'm sorry."

Something visibly softened in Ronnie's eyes.

"Nick, I know who you are. Things are what they are."

"You don't have to put yourself down just because of me."

She didn't believe me. She believed Nick.

She turned to me. "Hernandez, just apologize to Nick. No one's going to think less of you."

The last trace of hurt in my chest went quiet. I felt completely calm.

"Ronnie. I'll say it one more time. We're done."

"Now take your friend and get out of my apartment."

Nick flinched. He looked wounded, like he was holding something back.

Ronnie stepped in front of him and took his hand.

She turned to me, her gaze cold.

"Hernandez, is that a threat? You think that's going to make me back down?"

"You're being completely unreasonable."

She pulled Nick toward the door. It slammed shut behind them.

I collapsed onto the couch, completely drained. My phone rang. It was my mom.

"Hernandez, you're really coming home? Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened. I already put in my resignation. Once I finish the handoff in a couple days, I'm on my way."

"Did you and Ronnie have a fight?"

"Not a fight. We broke up."

I'd already been thinking about moving on from that company. What happened with Nick made the decision easy. I turned in my notice.

My boss practically signed it with a smile — apparently he thought he'd just landed Nick as some kind of prize.

My mom was quiet for a moment. "Okay. As long as you're sure."

"Come home. Your dad and I worry about you out there."

My throat tightened. "Mom, don't worry about me."

"I've already been looking at other opportunities. There's a lot of good stuff..."

"I'm not worried. Just don't push yourself too hard."

I couldn't get another word out.

I thought I'd be able to get through my last two days in peace.

But Nick wasn't done with me.

The afternoon before I left, the company group chat blew up.

Nick had posted a video.

The person in the video was Ronnie. Her expression was serious. She wasn't joking around.

"Regarding the proposal incident — on behalf of Hernandez, I'm issuing a formal apology to Nick."