This was another trick.
Silver was smartly giving him space for the time being, but as soon as he felt like enough time had passed, he’d appear like he always did, demanding Nuri return home.
Was that why he didn’t feel the satisfaction he’d anticipated when he got to quit? Because he didn’t truly believe it? That would make sense. After all of the terrible tactics he’d just found out the Emperor had used on him, it was no wonder he didn’t buy that he’d finally been given his freedom from the crown.
No, Silver would show up. Eventually. When he was tired of waiting for Nuri to calm down on his own.
WouldNuri calm down?
Was it even possible to calm down from something like this?
From knowing his boss had jeopardized everything the two of them had worked for, had built together over the years, all so he could exploit Nuri?
Time passed in a blur as he replayed all of the events from the past couple of months in excruciating detail, picking them apart for signs of deception. For the longest time, he couldn’t comprehend why he was so hurt by it all, since he’d suspected from the start Silver had something up his sleeve. Maybe it was because he was now forced to question the past, and all the other games they’d played.
But he couldn’t have rigged them all, because there’d been occasions where Nuri had won. Enough times that he’d never questioned Silver’s fairness, at least not when it came to that. A big part of the reason he always agreed to play was because it provided rare opportunities where the two of them felt like they were on equal footing.
When it was just the two of them playing cards or a board game, when the results were mostly left to chance, Nuri had been able to pretend they were more than mere subject and regent. In those moments, they’d been friends.
And some of those memories might not even be real.
They were forever distorted by this newfound knowledge that Silver could cheat to get his way. He’d always played dirty with others, but thisone thinghad felt sacred somehow…and he’d ruined it. The same way he ruined everything.
The same way he’d ruined Nuri.
He passed out on the couch sometime in the night, and woke to the sound of birds chirping loudly outside his window. It took him a while to process where he was, the grief and pain from the day before slamming over him like a tsunami, causing the breath to catch in his throat and a pathetic whine to slip past his lips.
The clock read ten in the morning, which meant he was late for work. Since it’d been the weekend the day before, he wasn’t expected at the office, but if he didn’t go in now, he’d nodoubt incite Silver’s impatience. Since he wasn’t ready to deal with the Emperor, the best course of action would be to go.
Nuri would deliver his official resignation letter once more, and put in his two weeks’ notice.
He shouldn’t. He didn’t owe Silver anything, but the thought of leaving the rest of his team high and dry like that, especially knowing the Emperor would be in a shit mood and easier to infuriate, felt wrong.
It should be safe enough for Nuri at the office, in any case. It wasn’t like Silver could kidnap him and keep him there. So long as he avoided the parking garage and parked in front of the building instead, there’d be no chance for him to—
Who was he kidding.
If Silver hadn’t cared about his reputation before, he certainly wasn’t going to now.
If he wanted to force him into his car or his office he would, no matter who may be around to see.
Maybe this was a bad idea and Nuri should call Marta and tell her he was taking sick leave. The packet he’d put together for the handover before his trip to Vitality was still valid, though certain schedules and tasks needed updating. He could do that from here, on his personal computer…
No.
Why should he be the one constantly running and hiding? He’d done nothing wrong. If Silver tried anything, Nuri would fight him tooth and nail. Publicly, if he had to.
If the Emperor wasn’t afraid of being caught by the media, then neither was he.
Hell, maybe that would even end up working in his favor. If the rest of the planet saw how he was treated, it would make it that much more difficult for Silver to control him.
* * *
Nuri nodded in greeting to employees he passed in the halls as he entered Rein Inc. HQ. No one expected him to stop and exchange pleasantries, since he never did, so he was able to coast by, making it up to the top floor in the same ten or so minutes it always took him.
The only real difference was finding the door to Silver’s office left wide open, the room within empty.
Just as he’d paused, brow furrowing slightly, Marta appeared in the hallway, wringing her hands.
