About Sasha.
She'd made the right choice, hadn't she? This was what mattered. Career, success, the sort of professional accomplishment that made her family proud. Everything she'd worked for.
Except she couldn't quite remember why any of it had seemed so important.
"Victoria?" Lawton appeared in her doorway, concern creasing his face. "Do you have a moment?"
She turned from the window, pasting on her most professional smile. "Of course."
He closed the door behind him and settled into the chair opposite her desk, studying her with the sort of careful attention that made Victoria's stomach clench. Lawton had been hermentor for years, had championed her through her career, had offered her this position when she desperately needed it. He knew her well enough to know when something was wrong.
"Are you happy here?" he asked directly.
The question caught her off-guard. "Yes. Of course. Why would you—"
"Victoria." His voice was gentle but firm. "When we're happy, we focus. And you haven't been focused since you started."
She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. Because he was right. The only thing she'd been focused on for the past two weeks was the way Sasha's hair caught the light, the sound of her laugh, the soft press of her mouth against Victoria's neck in the early morning. The way it had felt to watch her discover something she loved and pursue it with wholehearted joy.
"Is everything alright?" Lawton asked. "Has something happened? If there's an issue with the team or the workload, we can discuss adjustments."
Victoria looked at him, this kind man who'd believed in her capabilities, who'd offered her this position when she needed it most. She thought about the corner office, the excellent salary, the prestigious clients. Everything she'd worked for. Everything that was supposed to matter.
Everything that felt hollow without Sasha laughing beside her.
"I quit," she heard herself say.
Lawton blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"I quit. I'm giving my notice. Effective immediately, if that's acceptable." The words kept coming, surprising her with their certainty. "I know this puts you in a difficult position, and I'm genuinely sorry for that. But I can't do this."
"Victoria, I don't understand. Has something happened? If there's an issue, we can address it. You're one of our most valuable—"
"There's no issue." She stood up, surprised at how calm she felt. How right this felt, despite the complete insanity of quitting a job she'd fought so hard to get. "This is an excellent firm. You've been incredibly generous offering me this position, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. But it's just not what I want anymore."
Lawton leaned back in his chair, studying her with those sharp eyes. "What do you want?"
The simple question hung in the air between them. What did she want? A month ago, she would have said career advancement, professional success, the approval that came from being perfect at everything she attempted. The corner office and the important meetings and the validation of knowing she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
Now?
Now she wanted messy blonde hair and green eyes and someone who made her laugh in potting sheds. She wanted mornings that didn't start with conference calls and evenings that didn't end with spreadsheets. She wanted to feel something other than this hollow accomplishment. She wanted to be with someone who looked at the world with joy instead of carefully managed control.
She wanted Sasha. Even if the thought terrified her. Even if she had no idea if Sasha would even want her back after the way Victoria had chosen work over her.
"I'm still figuring that out," she admitted. "But I know it's not this. I know I don't want to spend my life in meetings thinkingabout gardens. I know I don't want to be good at something that makes me this miserable."
Lawton studied her for a long moment, then something shifted in his expression. Not disappointment exactly, but perhaps understanding. "How long have you felt this way?"
"Since I started, if I'm being honest. Maybe longer." Victoria sank back into her chair, suddenly exhausted. "I thought it would get better. Thought I'd adjust, find my rhythm again. But every morning I wake up and think about being anywhere else, doing anything else. That's not sustainable."
"No," Lawton agreed quietly. "It's not." He paused, then asked, "Does this have anything to do with someone?"
Victoria felt heat creep up her neck. "How did you—"
"Victoria, I've known you for years. I've watched you cancel dates for client emergencies, work through holidays, prioritize your career over everything else in your life. The only thing that could make you quit a position like this is realizing there's something, or someone, more important."
She didn't deny it. Couldn't really, when he was absolutely right.
